Benard Wanjohi: Kenyan Entrepreneur Who Grew a Side Hustle into a Hotel Abroad
Kenyan entrepreneur Benard Wanjohi has built a 24-room hotel and conference facility in Bugarama, Burundi, after starting with a small roadside meat business more than two decades ago.
Wanjohi moved to Burundi on New Year’s Eve in 1999 to take up a job at a milling company. He viewed the position as temporary and planned to start his own business after gaining financial stability.
While still employed, he began a small nyama choma operation by the roadside. He saved and reinvested his earnings, taking advantage of Burundi’s lower cost of living to accumulate capital more quickly than he could have in Kenya.
He later bought land in Bugarama, choosing a quieter area away from the capital. Using his savings, he gradually expanded his business. The venture has since developed into a hotel with 24 rooms and a conference facility designed to host large events.
Wanjohi has lived in Burundi for 26 years and is fluent in the local language. He has integrated into the community while building his business. In an interview with journalist Alex Chamwada on Daring Abroad, Wanjohi said he had always intended to transition from employment to business ownership after a few years. His family later joined him in Burundi.
His story is similar to that of other Kenyans working abroad who have established businesses in different sectors. In Germany, Anita Wanjiru founded Imani Spa, a wellness centre that combines Kenyan and international approaches.
