This archive report was first published on 24 June 2021.
On June 24, 2021, Raila Odinga, the ODM leader, shared a remarkable story of his entrepreneurial journey, which began with selling his old German car to raise Sh12,000.
According to Raila, he was approached by an Indian friend who told him about a friend who had magnificent machines brought from Uganda and wanted to sell quickly. The machines included rolling machines, welding machines, and sheet metal cutting machines, which Raila found good for business but couldn't afford due to his limited salary of Sh2,000.
Undeterred, Raila sold his old Opel left-hand drive car to raise the cash and acquired the machinery to start his business. He set up a go-down in the Industrial Area on Kingston Road, now called Kampala Road, and began manufacturing casements, windows, steel doors, and other items.
Later, Raila ventured into manufacturing gas cylinders after a white proprietor from Agip Oil Company told him about a shortage of cylinders and their need for local firms to make them. Having worked in a cylinder manufacturing firm in Germany, Raila had an idea and took samples from Agip, retooled, and started manufacturing the gas cylinders.
His business flourished, and a German client who visited his workshop was impressed and advised him to go for a loan to expand his business. Raila was able to venture into the Kenya Industrial Estate, under the Industrial and Commercial Development Corporation (ICDC), then headed by Matu Wamae.
