Before Oscar Sudi became an MP in 2013, he was just an ordinary Kenyan; always hustling to get by the day. The Uasin Gishu representative has come a long way, from a poor family in Kesses, Uasin Gishu to a highly revered politician in Kenya.
Due to his relentless pursuit of success and wealth, Oscar Sudi earned himself the nickname ‘Sonko of Eldoret’ in reference to former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko.
“I was born in 1980, my parents were squatters in the Moi University area. All we had was a grass-thatched house in the farm of Mzee Kibor Arap Talai who allowed us to stay on his farm but on a temporary basis.”
Fast forward nearly 4 decades later, Sudi lives in a luxurious Sh. 100 million mansion and owns many profitable investments to his name. He has always maintained that fortunes are a result of hard work, respect for others and goodwill for humanity.
In an interview with Dr. King’ori, he disclosed how far he has come in his rise to top political status. In his early days, Oscar Sudi worked as a makanga and a cattle herder.
At the tender age of 15, Oscar Sudi had begun to venture into business despite getting marginal returns. He would sell snacks at school to his fellow students during study breaks.
“At lunch, I sold scones and sweets bought from a friend at Moi University,” he said.
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During weekends, he would visit charcoal burning sites and collect the leftover pieces. He bought a second-hand bicycle from his savings. This was how he became a charcoal merchant in Eldoret town.
He sold his bicycle and bought a new one for Sh. 3,800. In 1994, Sudi’s mother opened a grocery business.
In 95′, their father got sacked. Sudi and his mother turned their full attention to the grocery and charcoal business to make ends meet. It was in the grocery business that Sudi made contacts with matatu operators. Soon he began touting.
“The conductors became my friends and I began working as a parking boy in 1996. After 6 months, I got introduced to one matatu owner, Mzee Barnabas Sawe whose vehicles were labelled Carlos,” he recalled.
Sudi’s salary was Sh. 800, later on, it increased to Sh. 1200 due to his honesty and good job. Soon enough, he purchased his first PSV.
He visited Nairobi and saw how Kenyans at the time loved playing Pool. The MP bought 24 pool tables and from it, he would make over Sh. 1,000 daily.
He sold the matatu and pool business and opened a motor dealership. It was through this business that Sudi met powerful people including President William Ruto who was then Eldoret North MP.
In this period, Sudi also got conned Sh. 11 million by money launderers, losing most of his property. Sudi clarified that he did not blame anyone but himself for the greed he had.
Oscar Sudi’s Kapseret Farm
Sudi’s friend Kiborek Reuben visited the politician’s expensive Kapseret farm. He shared an image showing Sudi’s grand gate leading to the farm.
Other images showed Sudi’s over 20 calves housed in an enclosed area. Dairy cattle are kept in a different section from the calves.
They produce so much milk that a truck has to ferry it from the farm to markets. Sudi graciously led his guests to witness his crop cultivation on a vast piece of land.
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He has employed his mechanization on his farm. A machine could be seen processing corn plants into small pieces that serve as fodder for the cattle.
To cap off the visit, Sudi treated his guests with boiled maize grown on his farm.
