Land is good investment in fact currently I think it's better than investing in the NSE if you have some cash. I see nothing wrong in putting 50% in land with good future prospects.

Anyway where would you rather your group invests?

And that's not necessarily a bad thing. If I'd listened to my father's advice and bought land in the first half of 90's instead of buying my 1st car, I'd be the happy owner of 30 acres somewhere near Yukos, Kitengela for the price of that car.



Dig up the history of Kenatco and make your own conclusions.

In my opinion an investment group creates value, if your chama (when did it change from Ciama?) buys land to carry on agricultural or entertainment activities then that is investing.

If your chama buys land to sub-divide amongst its members then that is a land buying company,

If your chama buys land to subdivide and sell to unsuspecting Kenyan's who should know better then its a land trading company

If your chama buys land to hold onto unto the prices rise then it is a land speculation company.

As you wade through the land business please keep in mind the activities at Mboi Kamiti Ranching Company.

Then why not call them what they truly are, as they say in Dondori if it looks like a skunk and smells like a skunk then it must be a skunk.

Investment groups consist of members who have no time to manage the day to day activities of a business they are not business managers they are owners who put in their money for a return in the form of dividend or interest and occasionally capital gains.

The SACCO have failed us in being an alternative funding source and from the actions of the various chama umbrella bodies and banks the misnamed investment groups will go the same way.

Real investment groups like Centum, Transcentury and that other one that James Mwangi & Mbaru belong to invest for control.

So when a group like ACL, Mhasibi, Zemele & KAIG fail to make an impact on the listed companies then there is reason to be concerned for the post Kenyatta generation (fortunately we are not members).

If a group like ACL took the 20 million of seed capital it received from its members and bought Eveready shares they would be discussing a seat on the board so as to change the direction of the organisation.

Watch the disruption being propagated at CMC by the new boys on the block who have been forced to become lone rangers because the cavalry (investment groups) took a wrong turn at the Athi River/Mombasa Road turnoff and ended up in Kitengela.

"leadership is never handed over on a silver platter but must be wrestled from the incumbent"

I repeat again, if we went to school just to end up making decisions like our parents and grandparents then the funds spent on us were wasted.

I had KQ and ARM shares both bot at IPO prices of 11.25 and 6.25 respectively. I sold then at a loss! When I reflect back I sometimes think that if I followed the stocks direction I would by now be a JM if not WB. I just hate the obsession with land in Kenya.