Businessman Cleophas Shimanyula, also known as Toto, is aming people in Kakamega County who wield enormous power and influence due to their massive fortune and investments.
Shimanyula has been a towering figure in Kakamega for almost a decade, amassing fortune and investing in the transportation, real estate, football, construction and farming industries.
He began his career as a tout on public service vans traveling between Kakamega and Kisumu.
Shimanyula and his three brothers became interested in motors and joined their father in his garage, where they began doing basic motor repair and maintenance.
Years down the line, the businessman is credited with revitalizing the taxi business in Kakamega and introducing luxurious automobiles for hire services.
The vehicles are always loaned out to high-ranking clients, including regional officials and visitors.
Although his educational background is unknown, with claims saying he just completed primary school, his adventure began in the 1990s in Kakamega.
After years of working in his father’s garage, he purchased his own saloon car.
The vehicle was one of the earliest cabs in Kakamega, and he used it to run the business for nearly a decade.
Shimanyula began his beginning in the matatu industry by purchasing one car with a loan from a local commercial bank.
He named his first matatu Homeboyz, which became his distinctive moniker in the matatu industry, particularly on the Kakamega – Kisumu route.
Nearly a decade later, his Homeboyz brand has over 50 cars operating along various routes around the country.
However, his legacy was almost destroyed on October 10, 2018, when one of his busses was involved in a road accident that killed 58 people.
Shimanyula also owns Kakamega Homeboyz Football Club which was established in 2010, earning the promotion to the Kenya Premier League in 2013.
The club, which now leads the Federation of Kenya Football (FKF) Kenya Premier League table, was founded to provide a platform for the youth, particularly from the region, to develop their talents.
Despite never winning the league, it finished second in the 2019/2020 season.
Shimanyula has also used his fortune to establish himself politically. For years, most political leaders have used his influence to rally support.
For instance, former Cabinet Minister Cyrus Jirongo is one politician who has leveraged Shimanyula’s influence in his campaigns.
Aside from hiring his cars, he utilized his influence to assemble supporters at several rallies throughout the region.
Musalia Mudavadi has also benefited from Shimanyula’s influence having used his high-end cars to campaign for president in 2013.
Other leaders who have worked closely with Shimanyula include former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli, among others.
Shimanyula made headlines in 2017 when he pledged to sell all of his assets to prevent former Senator Boni Khalwale from winning the Kakamega governor’s seat.
He supported Oparanya, who successfully won the seat.
