Kiri Consult Limited (KIRI) has come a long way since its establishment two decades ago. What started as a sole proprietorship has evolved into a thriving limited company in civil engineering consultancy, and is now a market leader in water, transport, and building infrastructure development. As a testament to its success, KIRI was ranked overall winner in the 2022 Top 100 Mid-sized Companies in Kenya survey. This is besides its ISO 9001 Certification in 2014.
The force behind Kiri Consult, a company that boasts a team of over 20 engineers and an impressive portfolio of projects spread throughout the country, is Eng Mungeria Kirimania, its Founder and Managing Director. His journey is a testament to the power of determination and resilience.
Eng Kirimania first had the inkling to become a plane mechanic as a class 3 child during a visit to Wilson Airport. Intrigued, he sought to know what it would take to be one. The answer he got was simple yet crucial: excel in mathematics. That was all the motivation he needed. Within a year, he had climbed right from the academic tail end of his class to the top.
During career counselling in advanced secondary, he realised his dream could not be fulfilled as the course was not offered in Kenyan universities, was costly, and in low demand in Kenya. At this point, it dawned on him that Aeronautic Engineering was the correct term for his aspired profession. He was admitted to the University of Nairobi in the Mechanical Engineering programme but eventually transitioned to the Civil Engineering.
After short stints at the Japan International Cooperation Agency and later Nyakio General Construction Company, he built his career while working at the Ministry of Housing and Public Works in the early 1990s. In 2004, he made the tough but well-calculated decision to leave employment and began constructing his independent professional empire, Kiri Consult, from a container that served as his office.
Two decades later, his efforts have flipped the tables in his favour. The company now owns and operates an expansive office that occupies an entire wing of a building in Upper Hill. Here, from the corner office that affords him a majestic view of the city, Eng Kirimania can look back at the 20 years and proudly boast of having had a hand in major engineering projects in the country.
In this interview, he tells the story of the challenges and joys of entrepreneurship.
Q. What inspired your journey into entrepreneurship?
I never considered being an entrepreneur in school or during my first short-term employment with JICA and Nyakio Construction. However, immediately after I was employed by the government in 1991, the desire to start my own business surfaced.
I rejected an offer for a government house, fearing enticement to remain there. With my two friends, I started putting aside funds in a Sacco to start a joint business. But the dire economic situation at the time killed our dream. It was only more than a decade later that I managed to put aside enough capital to enable me to leave employment and venture out on my own. My family, especially my wife, has been supportive from the very first step I took towards this direction.
The journey was far from easy. At the beginning, I grappled with persistent, dull headaches. A childhood friend, now a doctor, pointed out: Is there something that’s constantly on your mind? Yes, of course! The realisation that the plan to exit formal employment took a toll on me pushed me to change tactics. Thankfully, I had prepared myself and ensured that I would have a steady source of income to sustain my family. And as long as they were taken care of, everything else would fall into place.
A. What challenges did you encounter when you started?
I was fortunate that when I ventured out, the economy was booming. Moreover, the experience I gained while working in the roads and structural departments in the Ministry paid off. Nonetheless, being a sole proprietor did not inspire confidence in clients, and I had to gain the trust of prospective clients by getting and completing projects. So, in 2005, I had to incorporate the firm by bringing in a shareholder and forming partnerships with consultants and firms with more experience in the field. As I progressively built my portfolio with more projects, opportunities arose to bring others on board through employment.
Of course, the other challenge was capital. There were moments when money was tight. Engineering projects require substantial funding, which I did not have at that time. This meant that I had to rely on advance payments, which, too, were hard to come by.
If you look back over the last two decades, the last 20 years, which are your proudest projects?
The earliest contract that laid a solid foundation for the company was one awarded by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) for Project Management of several projects spanning all the major cities: Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu. This contract allowed us to transition from our humble container into formal offices.
Moreover, the key project in the water sector was the design of a 90m Thuchi dam in Embu for both domestic use and irrigation. Other projects include the design of the water supply and sanitation projects for the Kapsabet, Busia, Webuye, Nambale, Loiyangalani, Lodwar, Bungoma, and Kibabii towns.
In the buildings and structures sector, we have been involved in numerous projects, and, lately, in the design and construction supervision of the largest warehousing facility in East and Central Africa for Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA). Another exciting project is the Shimoni Fishing Port in Kwale County under the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), which includes a 170m long jetty capable of handling 50 metric tons of fish, a fish processing plant, and a fish mill plant.
Kiri Consult was involved in the design and construction supervision of this large and magnificent KEMSA Warehouse and Office Block in Nairobi, Kenya.
In the road sector, we were involved in the 45km Chuluni-Mwitika design, over 45km of Mavoko roads, and the 220km Baragoi-North Horr road, in addition to the supervision of the Mariakani-Kilifi Road project. We are currently involved in the supervision of the over 100km Mau Mau Lot 3 Road Project and the 120km Wajir-Kotulo Road project.
These diverse projects have been instrumental in defining our company’s legacy and growth over the past two decades.
How do you ensure that you stay ahead?
Being ISO Certified, we consistently focus on enhancing quality in order to deliver work that meets and exceeds customer expectations. Currently, our key targets include implementing a comprehensive Strategic Plan and a Performance Management System, as well as fully utilising the Building Information Management (BIM) platform that enables collaboration among key stakeholders in infrastructure project implementation.
What gives you genuine happiness?
There’s nothing more satisfying than stepping out of your comfort zone to assist those in dire need, lifting them out of their hardships. For me, paid work is toil, but helping the less fortunate is where true satisfaction lies: The enjoyment of one’s sweat of labour.
As a company, all our staff participate in corporate social responsibility activities twice annually, reaching out to homes, hospitals, prisons, and schools. These sessions foster synergy and strengthen bonds in the organisation as we all appreciate each other despite our status and position. We also extend this spirit of giving to clients, beneficiaries, and other stakeholders who share our commitment to making a positive impact.
How do you maintain a balanced wheel of life in this hectic career?
I take life seriously, recognising the significance of every aspect of the wheel of life and the importance of finding enjoyment in all things. As the natural cornerstone of existence, family is my highest priority, with everything else supporting it.
Financial security is vital to a balanced life as it ensures a comfortable lifestyle. Educational pursuits, whether for advancing your career, developing new skills, or gaining a deeper understanding of the world, help you make the most of your resources. Good health allows you to be active and engaged, while friends and family create a support system – you know there are people you can always count on. To maintain this balance, a strong sense of purpose fuels your drive and ethical conduct provides a moral compass. It’s important to pay attention to spiritual enrichment, which opens one to the reality that we are all one family, giving us the endurance to serve others selflessly.
How do you intend to celebrate this milestone?
We intend to have a quiet, internal celebration without much pomp but with great significance. To build our spiritual stamina, inspired by the Servant of God Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, we will celebrate a Mass within the premises and have our business consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
On the social front, we plan to have our CSR at the village where the seed of engineering was planted: The Nairobi West Prisons. We intend to construct a high-level tank for the institution so that the inmates can enjoy flowing water in their washrooms.
Where do you go from here?
Initially, I focused on financial success and stability, but life experiences have led me to think beyond money. My mind-set has shifted to performance, quality, and impact. I constantly ask myself: What impact am I having on the people who work for KIRI?
My vision is to achieve a smooth succession where I can hand over the company’s management to individuals capable of running it sustainably. Success without a successor, in my view, is a failure. It’s crucial that the legacy doesn’t fade away after the founder steps back. What is planted by one person has to be harvested by others in the future. So, my target is to have a sustainable succession plan in the next five years.
Our next frontier for expansion is beyond Kenya’s borders. As our strategic plan outlines, we plan to venture into other countries, such as Somalia, South Sudan, and the DRC. This represents our vision for continued growth and impact beyond Kenya’s borders. – Article by Caroline Wambui
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Caroline Wambui is a communication specialist commissioned by Kiri Consult.
Quick Brief
Kiri Consult specialises in Water, Transport, Structural, Environmental and Project Management Engineering and is ISO 9001 certified.
For more information, go to www.kiriconsult.co.ke or email [email protected]; [email protected] or Tel: 0731 191 043
Physical Address: Nachu Plaza, 12th Floor Kiambere Road, Upper Hill, P.O. Box 4125-00506 Nairobi
