This archive report was first published on 4 November 2019.
As a child growing up in rural Kenya, Louis Muiruri was fascinated by the art of cooking. He spent countless hours watching his peers prepare meals over an open flame, and he was determined to create something better.
That's when he invented the 'kifoo' jiko, a revolutionary cooking device that could cook a mature cockerel in just 10 minutes and multi-task with ease. The kifoo was made from a 2kg cooking fat tin, modified to resemble a charcoal jiko, and fitted with a long steel handle to carry it around.
But the kifoo was more than just a clever invention - it was a symbol of the resourcefulness and ingenuity of rural Kenyans. In an era where modern appliances were scarce, the kifoo was a testament to the power of creativity and determination.
As Louis recalls, the kifoo was a game-changer in his village. 'It could cook a mature cockerel in a record 10 minutes,' he says. 'It could also multi-task, meaning you could boil the meat at the top, roast maize by the side door, bury potatoes in the hot ash for slow roasting inside and still warm yourself.'
But the kifoo was not without its challenges. Louis had to be careful not to get caught by his neighbor, Wa Hellen, who detested the device because it kept stealing her potatoes and green maize. To avoid detection, Louis would hide the kifoo outside the homestead at the end of each day.
Today, Louis looks back on his invention with pride. 'To all those engineers in NASA burning the midnight oil trying to make energy efficient burners and heaters, the expertise is domiciled in the deep and cold valleys of Matimbei village and it is absolutely free,' he says.
