Prior to independence, it was uncommon for Africans to succeed in business, and only a few people were able to enjoy this remarkable feat.
In his autobiography, Through My African Eyes, media personality Jeff Koinange revealed that his father, Fredrick Mbiyu Koinange, was the first African and Kenyan to own a petrol station in Kenya.
The petrol station was set up in 1966.
“My dad was the first African to own a petrol station after independence in Ngara, Nairobi. It is called the Koinange Petrol Station till now although he sold it a long time ago,” Jeff wrote.
According to the journalist, his old man was also the first Kenyan to establish and operate a car dealership.
While Mr Cooper of the Cooper Motor Corporation (CMC Motors) established a dealership firm in a wooden hut on Jackson Road, now Parliament Road, Mbiyu did the same in Nairobi.
However Jeff stated that his father died in 1966, the same year he opened his own petrol station.
On the early morning of March 7, 1966, Mbiyu arrived at the petrol station and as he stepped out of the car, he collapsed.
His workers rushed him to the Aga Khan Hospital, where he was placed under the Intensive Care Unit moments before passing away in the presence of Jeff’s mother.
Jeff had only been born two months before the unfortunate tragedy, and his father’s death meant he’d never see or meet him.
“However something funny about it is that I was born 30 minutes before his birthday. I was born at 11:30 PM on January 7, 1966. The next day was his birthday. There is something funny about our family
“My mother’s birthday is September 24 and my eldest sister’s birthday is September 24. My second sister’s birthday is April 28 while my brother’s is on August 28. My mother planned to have I, her last-born be born on her husband’s birthday. However, I arrived 30 minutes earlier,” he said.
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Jeff has hosted Jeff Koinange Live, a chat show on Citizen TV, since February 2017.
He also co-hosted the breakfast show on HOT 96, Royal Media Services’ English-language station, with Nick Odhiambo.
He was a judge representing Kenya on the new East Africa’s Got Talent, which began on August 4, 2019.
From 2001 to 2007, he was the Africa correspondent for CNN and CNN International, followed by top reporter at TV channel K24 from 2007 to December 2012.
Prior to joining KTN, he worked on Jeff Koinange Live, the station’s branded news programme. He had previously worked as the main anchor for Africa for Arise Television Ltd, based in Johannesburg.
Additionally , he joined East Africa’s Got Talent as a judge alongside Gaetano Kagwa, Makeda Mahadeo and Vanessa Mdee.
