First Lady mourns pioneer businessman

First Lady Margaret Kenyatta Thursday joined family and friends of the late Paul Mwangi Kariuki during a requiem Mass at the Regina Caeli Catholic Church, Karen.

The deceased was among the pioneer businessmen in Nairobi and was among the first Africans to join the prestigious Mangu High School in the 1940’s.

The First Lady said she had attended the mass as a friend of the family to show her support and encouragement to the relatives of the deceased during this difficult time.

She also conveyed a condolence message on behalf of President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The late Mwangi who died at the age of 86 was eulogized as a visionary and exemplary entrepreneur who believed in both work ethic and honest living.

Besides running a successful business chain in Nairobi before and after independence, the late Mwangi was also among the first Africans to purchase prime land in Karen from the white settlers who were leaving after Kenya gained self rule.

Upon independence, the late Mwangi was elected chairman of the Africanization committee whose objective was to redress the colonial imbalances and assist Africans to venture into businesses that were previously reserved for Europeans and Asians.

The body of the deceased is going to be laid to rest today at his Nyambaru farm in Murang’a where he had also established a farming business.