Companies that were started before Kenya’s independence and are still thriving

They have stood the test of time and it goes to show the resilience of our industries.

Photo credit: Edward Eyer

We are are only a couple of days away from Madaraka Day – 1^st June, when Kenya gained independence from colonial rule. Independence means having the freedom to go live and work anywhere in the country. But this looks like a very tricky time to celebrate independence when the Coronavirus has come to ‘Coronarize’ us.

There is no country in the world that has gained ‘independence’ from Covid-19. However, just like during the colonial days, we can fight together to defeat this enemy. Our founding fathers dropped their tribal affiliations and prejudices to unite and fight for an independent country. We can do the same too. Corona has taught us to appreciate the freedom that our founding fathers died for by giving us a taste of how it was like when they had curfews.

Despite those challenging times, the industrious spirit to do business and create employment was still very much alive. There are companies which were founded before Kenya gained independence, survived those tough times and are still thriving today. They have stood the test of time and it goes to show the resilience of our industries.

1. KCB Group - Banking – 1896

2. Kakuzi Limited – FMCG - 1906

3. Unga Group – FMCG - 1908

4. Cooper Motor Corporation (CMC Motors) – Automobile - 1912

5. East Africa Breweries (EABL) - FMCG- 1922

6. Jubilee Insurance Company – Finance - 1937

7. Rea Vipingo Sisal Estate – Agriculture - 1939

8. Diamond Trust Bank Group – Finance - 1945

9. Bamburi Cement – Construction - 1951

10. Sasini Tea and Coffee – FMCG - 1952

11. Kenya Electric Generating Company (KenGen) – Energy - 1954

12. KenolKobil – Energy - 1959

13. Nation Media Group – Media - 1959

14. Carbacid Investments - Chemicals - 1961

15. Commercial Bank of Africa – Finance - 1962

16. Development Bank of Kenya – Finance - 1963

Is there any other you think we've left out? Share with us in the comment section below.