Businessman Francis Mburu linked to controversial Ruaraka land scandal is dead
The lifeless body of the billionaire who rose to public glare following the disputed Ruaraka land saga marred by fraud claims that saw names of top government honchos including former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i’s name dragged into the probe was found in his home
Francis Mburu Mungai, the super businessman who had been accused of selling Ruaraka land belonging to the government to the Ministry of Education has passed on at his residence in Karen, Nairobi.
The lifeless body of the billionaire who rose to public glare following the disputed Ruaraka land saga marred by fraud claims that saw names of top government honchos including former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i’s name dragged into the probe was found in his home.
Mburu was also known for his vast wealth and larger-than-life generosity.
He died yesterday and his body was moved to Lee Funeral Home for an autopsy to confirm the cause of his death and burial preparations.
He has been battling mild illness in the recent past, which could have led to the cause of his death. He was known for his vast business ventures in real estate that earned him fortunes as one of the richest people in Kenya.
Mburu’s life was a tapestry of quiet opulence and high stakes deals.
Towering figures in Nairobi’s elite circles, owned sprawling estates across the city and Kilifi County amassing fortunes that few could rival.
Mburu was little known in public life, despite his billions.
However, after the revelation that he was the man behind the contentious Ruaraka land transaction, he used to enjoy quiet public life.
Over the past, the government paid him nearly Ksh9.8 billion for his stake in the 96-acre parcel, a deal that sparked fierce debate and legal battles.
Mburu’s life started changing when he was 31 years old when he acquired the Ruaraka land from Joreth Limited for Ksh14 million. Source disclose that through his companies, H Ltd and Afrison Export and Import Ltd, he leveraged the property to secure a Ksh21million loan from Continental Credit Finance to develop 600 houses for the now defunct Kenya Posts and Telecommunication Corporation (KPTC).
However, the collapse of the financier detailed the project, leaving only 196 houses completed – later occupied by the General Service Unit (GSU). Decades of litigation followed, culminating in a hefty payout that cemented his status as a silent billionaire.
Beyond his business acumen, Mburu was a man of paradoxes. A teetotaler who shunned alcohol, he nevertheless, reveled in footing nightlife bills that could soar Ksh250,000 a single evening for his eclectic pose of politicians and city insiders.
His friends recall his penchant for high-stakes pool games, where a single loss could cost Ksh50,00 – a sum he shrugged off even after dropping 20 matches in a night. He gave money like it was nothing,” a close friend said. “Ksh5million to him was just like a loose change handed to a beggar.’
