Asante sana Kip: Generous, solid and reliable

Kiprono Kittony is a true entrepreneur. He has resigned as chairman of Radio Africa Group but there are multiple other businesses where he is still playing a key role Patrick Quarcoo and I first met Kiprono in 1999.

We had started Capital Radio in Uganda in 1994 and it had been very successful. We wanted to move to Kenya and luckily Kiprono had the same idea and a frequency available.

So we started our joint venture with him and we have never regretted it. Kiprono was the first chairman of the Radio Africa Group and the only chairman until today.

He has always been generous, solid and reliable while focused on profitability as the group grew from one radio station, Kiss FM, to a group with multiple websites, multiple radio stations and of course the Star newspaper.

In the 26 years that we have worked with Kiprono he has always been generous and dependable. It is sad that he is leaving Radio Africa but other companies will benefit.

He was a very successful president at the Chamber of Commerce where he inherited a problematic organisation but put it on a stable financial footing and raised its international profile. Similarly, he did very well at the Nairobi Securities Exchange which substantially increased its total value while he was the chairman.

We believe that he will do equally well at Kenya Airways where this year he became chairman although KQ will not be easy to sort out.

 In the family business, Sirwo farm, he has branched into coffee, tea, avocado and hospitality as well as Sirwo cafe in Lavington.

He once more demonstrated his entrepreneurial flair when he bought the Radio Africa shares in Mtech digital company which now serves many banks and financial institutions and has been very successful and profitable. Kiprono comes from a distinguished family.

 The matriarch Zipporah is well known as the former chairperson of Maendeleo ya Wanawake while his wife Rosemary has been the stable presence on which he can always rely.

 Clearly Kiprono, who is still a young man, has a lot of energy and the entrepreneurial vision that will stand him in good stead as he goes on to start other businesses.

He believes in growth through investment and business so I am sure Kenya will also profit from whatever direction he decides to take in future.