Jeff Koinange’s dad was a multimillionaire who was the first black to own petrol station in Kenya.
Jeff’s father Fred Mbiyu Koinange was a business magnate who also happened to come from a very powerful family in pre and post-colonial Kenya.
Fred was the son of Senior Chief Koinange who Koinange Street in the Nairobi CBD is named after.
Jeff’s dad was the first black person in Kenya to open a car dealership.
In 1948 – when Mr Cooper was also opening the Cooper Motor Corporation (CMC Motors) in a wooden hut along Jackson Road, now Parliament Road – Fred also opened his.
However, his business was interrupted in 1952 when the colonial government declared state of emergency during Mau Mau insurgency.
Jeff’s father was detained for seven years after the State of Emergency was declared in 1952.
When he got out of prison he continued with his business. Jeff father became the first black Kenyan to open a petrol station in 1966 – three years after independence.
The then 41-year-old opened Koinange Petrol Station, Kenya’s first indigenous in Kariokor area in 1966 – the year he died.
Jeff Koinage talked about how he was affected by his father’s death during a recent interview with Grace Msalame.
The Citizen TV anchor shared about what it has been like growing up without a father figure and being raised by his mother alone, alongside his siblings.
“It was tough, and my mum tried her best to be that mentor and guide. And a lot of times, especially when you head out to the world it hits you there’s no father figure, something is missing,” said Jeff Koinange.
He went on to say that in as much as growing up without one’s biological father being present is hard, it was paramount for him to move on and find other figures to look up to.
“But you have to keep moving on, you have to keep finding something that’ll inspire you, whether it’s movie figures, politicians, or people you grew up around. It took a while,” he said.
He added that raising his son gives him a feel of what he never had the privilege of experiencing when he was growing up, which only inspires him to raise him with intentionality.
“And while I am raising my son I keep telling myself I did not have this, so I am extremely intentional about raising him. He’s lucky to have both parents,” he added.
