Honey and money! Both are sweet, but which is sweeter?
When Wambua Kinyao started his honey-hawking business in Ukambani, little did he know he would experience an array of flavours that would enrich his life.
Wambua Kinyao is the founder of Ulilinzi Petrol Stations, which has 14 outlets spread in the Ukambani region, more so in Makueni County. However, it was not a ‘sweet’ ride to the top.
The serial entrepreneur has had his failures after trying his hand in several industries, such as real estate, construction and agribusiness.
Nonetheless, Kinyao’s dedication to business saw him create his own rags-to-riches tale in Makueni County. He has been nibbling at an industry that has been dominated by multinational corporations for years.
Ulilinzi Petrol Station became a popular go-to fuel station for motorists during 2022’s oil shortage in Kenya. His petrol stations remained open, attracting large queues of motorists.
In this article, we look at Kinyao’s strategic rise from hawking honey door-to-door in Ukambani, to owning one of the most popular local gas stations.
Humble Beginnings
Wambua Kinyao always had an eye for business opportunities from his primary school days in the 70s. As a young man, he owned a dozen beehives, which he would harvest honey and sell.
After primary school, Kinyao did not enrol into a secondary school. Instead, he pursued a vocational course in motor vehicle mechanics at a local polytechnic.
Later, he moved to Nairobi where he worked at a butchery. When he returned to Ukambani for Christmas festivities a few months after living in the city, Wambua invested Sh. 2,800 he’d saved into a honey-selling business.
Kinyao purchased a new bicycle for business efficiency. He would buy honey from farmers in the region and hawk it as far as the bicycle could take him.
Additionally, he would hawk utensils and watches from house to house. Over time, people nicknamed him ‘Ulilinzi Mobile’.
A few years later, Wambua Kinyao opened a kiosk in Ulilinzi Town. His selling commodities were hide, cereals and clothes.
Fortune stood by him all through, and Kinyao bought a second-hand tractor, complete with a disc plough. At the time, owning such a tractor was a big deal.
Farmers would line up at his homestead during the rainy season seeking his ploughing services at a fee. Kinyao was now making more money than he could imagine.
He bought two trucks for his business, enabling it to reach new and distant markets. Furthermore, he established two new enterprises; a hardware store and a wholesale grocery.
They say too much of something is poisonous. Kinyao’s expansion streak came to a shattering end when his creditors came calling for their money.
The businesses collapsed in 2001. He closed his shop and sold his tractors and trucks. Up to 2006, Wambua Kinyao had tirelessly tried to rejuvenate his business.
Establishing Ulilinzi Petrol Station.
It wasn’t until he received a loan of Sh. 500,000 to start a new business he began to regain his former financial footing.
He relocated from Ulilinzi Township to Kibwezi where he set up a new hardware store.
Having been in the trade and instilled with the right business acumen, Kinyao’s quickly outpaced his competitors in Kibwezi town.
He offered affordable delivery services. Soon, he was back to buying trucks.
He also developed an interest in real estate. With all the profits he was making, Kinyao thought of opening a school or a maize mill.
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A close friend warned him against establishing the school, arguing that he risked burning his fingers since he didn’t match the education quo of the teachers he’d employ.
This is how the idea of Ulilinzi Petrol Station was birthed. Since then, Wambua Kinyao has never looked back.
“I invested in the fuel business instead,” he said.
In 2013, he established his first filling station to match the growing demand for fuel in the steadily growing Ukambani region.
To date, Kinyao owns 14 outlets. He disclosed that Ulilinzi’s main target for fuel consumption are the boda boda guys, that are plenty in Ukambani.
“Boda Bodas are our primary market. We deliver fuel very close to where they operate after realising that the motorcycle taxis form a significant market that is largely untapped,” Kinyao explained.
When people were having a merry time during 2022’s Christmas Day, Wambua Kinyao commissioned his latest Ulilinzi outlet in Oloitoktok, Kajiado County.
A businessman with a keen eye, Kinyao ensures that his businesses stay afloat as he tries to avoid lightning striking twice. He thoroughly studies his accounting books to ensure smooth operations.
“You see all those books? I go through them with a fine-tooth comb to ensure that nothing goes wrong,” he stated in a past interview.
