When he died six years ago, veteran politician Njenga Karume had an estimated wealth of Sh40 billion.
The wealth included coffee and estate plantations, high-end hotels, real estates among other multi-millIon investments.
But did you know Karume was a miser or should I say a bean counter? For starters, a 'bean counter' is one who nitpicks over small things in order to save costs.
According to Nation journalist Kamau Ngotho who says in an article - Karume led the billionaires club who, despite deep pockets, had short hands - the old man could hardly part with a coin, let alone a banknote.
"One of my many one-on-one meetings with him was on a Saturday at his Cianda House building on Nairobi’s Koinange Street. On that day he wanted me to go through a press statement he wanted to issue before he released it to the media," writes Ngotho.
Unfortunately, after he had read and made the necessary amendments Karume's secretary informed him that the office printer and photocopier had broken down.
"How much will it cost to make six copies?" Karume is said to have asked the secretary.
"Ten shillings printing and Sh2 for each photocopy”. “That’s Sh20”, the old man said as he pulled the upper drawer of his desk and counted coins amounting to exactly that, Ngotho documents.
On another occasion, the writer notes, immediately he was appointed Cabinet minister in President Mwai Kibaki’s government, Karume called him because he wanted to rebut some information attributed to him in the media.
Ngotho says he asked his colleague friend to accompany him to Karume's Village Inn hotel where he was to meet Karume. On arrival, Karume asked the chef to bring them 'mutura' where the waiter came back with three pieces of the same.
“I asked for one, not three”, the old billionaire is said to have told the chef, before adding, “Take back two and cut one into pieces for us to share.”
On another occasion, the same writer says he met the old man at his office in Kiambu town when he was the Kiambaa MP.
He says that Karume had an arrangement with his constituents that if a bereaved family was unable to afford burial expenses, he would chip in.
"On that day, his aide brought a request from a family that wanted to be assisted in buying a coffin, a cross, and wreaths to send off their departed kin. On looking at the budget, Karume told his aide: “You well know we only give money for the coffin. Just give them money for that and nothing else.”
Ngotho finally documents yet another occasion, at Karume’s Kentmere Country Club on Limuru Road with a group of wealthy friends.
"I was taking a Tusker Malt beer as the others took some expensive stuff whose names I don’t remember. From the corner of my eye, I could see the waiter showing the bill to Mr Karume every time we got another round of drinks. The old man wanted to be kept informed about how much damage we were doing to his pocket.
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