It is often said that difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations, and this statement rings true for Alex Malova Kidake.
Kidake grew up in abject poverty but rose to become one of the prominent businessmen in Kakamega.
Born in a polygamous family, Kidake is the 20th born of his father’s second wife and the only educated child in his family, as his other siblings dropped out of school due to lack of school fees.
Determined to change the situation back home, he worked hard in school and successfully completed his high school education but couldn’t further his education due to financial constraints.
Like any other youth trying things out, he moved to Nairobi with a promise of job opportunities, but the city’s joblessness pushed him to hawk secondhand clothes, popularly known as mitumba, alongside his brother.
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It was in this business that he met Caroline Muthoni, another hawker. They became business partners and later lovers.
Their business acumen enabled them to expand their venture and diverted into the computer business putting up their first shop in Biashara Street. The business peaked so well, and it was not long before Kidake bought his first car, a Toyota RAV4
“The newfound wealth changed who I was because I started hanging out with other rich fellas and forgot about the business. Before I knew it, the business had collapsed and we went back to zero,” he recalled.
He was, however, ready to give entrepreneurship a second trial, and before long, he was back at the top. He relocated from his Sh2,500 house in Githurai and moved his family to Dubai, where his wife and three children now reside.
“Failure came calling once again, and financial troubles led to the auction of 14 business cars. Apart from that, several of my containers were destroyed at the port in Mombasa,” he said.
Besides Kidake Intercontinental, a marketing company in Dubai, the bold businessman owns the Kidake Residence, a palatial home in Nangili, Kakamega, with 14 bedrooms and a giant swimming pool.
His compound also boasts 18 Toyota Land Cruisers, several servants’ quarters, and top-notch security systems.
“Poverty is bad. It strips you of every shred of dignity,” he muttered.
The Master’s in Finance student also engaged in philanthropy and started the Kidake Foundation to give back to the community that had supported him in his journey.