Wilfred murungi biography channel
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Wilfred Murungi: The Billionaire Behind Mastermind Tobacco Whose Burial Was Only Attended By Eight Family Members
By Prudence Minayo
Wilfred Murungi was a veteran entrepreneur who founded Mastermind Tobacco Kenya (MTK) at a time when British American Tobacco (BAT) dominated the industry. Known for being a recluse, the late billionaire had a long standing tussle with Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) which played out even in Parliament. Mr. Murungi would maintain his elusiveness even in death where only a handful of people were allowed to attend his burial.
Here is Wilfred Murungi story as told by WoK.
Career
The electrical engineer by profession worked for Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) before joining BAT. At BAT, he worked as a technical director and managed to amass enough knowledge about Tobacco manufacturing to venture out on his own.
Formation of MTK
The first two years after leaving BAT in 1985, were spent contracting farmers and establishing a leaf proc
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Wilfred Murungi: Billionaire's bizarre begravning puzzles villagers
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Business mogul Wilfred Murungi was yesterday buried in a strictly private ceremony attended by only a handful of close relatives.
Attendance of the burial of the founder and chairman of Mastermind Tobacco Kenya Limited was by invitation only. So guarded was the ceremony that some relatives who had not been invited for the burial were turned away.
Due to his immense wealth, many had expected a colourful send-off for a man who played in the league of British tobacco companies and almost conquered them. But they were disappointed.
One of his nephews who drove his mother to the burial was turned away at the gate with only the elderly woman being allowed in.
According to a relative who declined to be named, only 20 people were expected at the brief ceremony and that was the exact number of chairs that were arranged at the tent where the ceremony took place.
Outnumbered mourners
So
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Revealed: Secrets of tycoon who led a reclusive life
Wilfred M’iti Murungi, the Mastermind Tobacco mogul, lived a secluded life. Even in death, the man remained a hush-hush. Any story on his interests, businesses and family was a bolted book, tucked away from the public eye.
Two years after his death, however, the Sunday Standard can reveal who he was, where his interests lay and what ‘ate’ him.
When he died on June 6, 2019, the country could tell much about Murungi's dealings with the cigarettes company and few others in which he served as director. Beyond the names of the companies, only his lawyers and maybe associates knew the stakes he held.
The day he was interred, only a handful, handpicked immediate family members witnessed the burial. He was flown from the city to the remote Magutuni village, Meru County, and in an hour, the closely guarded burial ceremony ended just as it started – a mystery.
The 74-year-old businessman had n