Tycoon Chris Kirubi wants to be a mentor to young Kenyans

Kenyan businessman Chris Kirubi wants to be a mentor to the country’s young people.

Chris Kirubi

Chris Kirubi

According to Forbes, 70-year-old Kirubi first started in business by buying decayed properties in Nairobi, renovating the buildings, and then re-selling them for a profit. He currently owns various residential and commercial buildings in Nairobi. Kirubi controls, or has a stake in, a number of East African companies, including: consumer goods firm Haco Tiger Brands, investment company Centum, UAP insurance, and the DHL franchise in Kenya. In addition, Kirubi also owns popular Kenyan radio station Capital FM.

Earlier this month, Kirubi posted the following messages on micro-blogging service Twitter:

I am on a mission. I believe my following needs to grow..I need to be able to work with many Kenyans in order to drive this country forward.

Oh my word! Thank you all for your support. It’s about time I created more time to mentor and influence the great minds of this country.

@SimPlumb I want to get more involved in mentoring and working with young great minds. Kenya belongs to us and we need to help each other

Exactly how Kirubi plans to execute his “mentoring” is unclear, but his call to recruit more “followers” on Twitter suggests that he might use social media as a platform.

I am looking for people to recruit many followers…So invite your many friends. I need young people of the same mind who want to go places.

Kirubi has previously stated on Twitter that he had a meeting with some of his Facebook followers who “challenge my thought process”.

Kirubi’s Twitter and Facebook posts normally contain a healthy dose of business insight and advice.

When I travel or plan to travel, am reminded of a quote I once read;don’t focus on how to spend less money,focus on how to make more money.

As soon as one door closes another opens. But the tragedy is that we look at the closed door and disregard the open one…I wonder why?

True leadership is about humility. It’s about knowing when to call it a day and acknowledging there others better suited to take the lead.

To prosper soundly in business, you must satisfy not only your customers, but you must lay yourself out to satisfy also the men who make your product and the men who sell it…So if your not doing too well in business, you should consider the above.

The Harvard Business Review said in a recent article that according to a 2004 study, “young leaders with mentors were more likely to succeed professionally and experience career satisfaction”.

The article noted that a trusting relationship between the mentor and mentee is essential for effective mentoring. “Identify someone with whom you have a genuine chemistry and who is committed to your development.”

It is often also not only the mentee who benefits. “Although many mentees don’t realise it, a sound relationship is a two-way street that benefits both parties – not just the mentee.”