Enterprise

Job as househelp opened door of opportunity for contractor

BDMutem

Ernest Mutembei displays a building plan in his office. PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL

Many people associate househelp jobs with women but for Ernest Mutembei, a trained contractor in Meru Town, that was the job that set him on the road to success. 

Mr Mutembei, the sixth born in a family of eight, explains that after facing a lot of difficulties in paying for his secondary school education, he decided to look for a job after completing Form four. 

But that was not the end of his woes. He was paid what he termed a meagre salary despite working from 5am until midnight. 

Persistence, however, paid off. The father of three now has a construction company, King Build Constructors Company Limited, based in Meru Town.

Mr Mutembei says his success was as a result of his meeting with a Mr Ebrahim, a white man who visited the home where he was employed as a househelp. The meeting changed his fortunes. 

“Mr Ebrahim asked me about my background and after a lengthy talk he gave me his email address and promised to pay my school fees if I enrolled for further education ,” he says. 

Mr Mutembei says he grabbed at the chance and soon quit his househelp job to seek admission in college after getting his savings from his employer. 

“Due to the cold weather in Nairobi I had problems with my ears, I could not hear well and my employer had refused to pay my medical bill.
“I was given the money and travelled back home,” he recounts. 

Back home in Meru he applied for a diploma course in building and construction at the Meru Technical Training Institute which is now known as the Meru National Polytechnic. 

“After getting my admission letter I wrote an e-mail to Mr Ebrahim who eventually started paying my school fees directly to the school’s account number until I completed my diploma course,” he explains. 
The 38-year-old builder explains that he started the company two years ago after he quit Ntara and Associates Company Limited where he first worked after college . 
He decided to start his own business although he had no money because he had used his savings from the previous job to build his house. 
He says his first client paid him Sh50, 000 which he used to pay rent and to start his own business. 

After one month, he secured a contract to repair a road in Meru and the money he was paid went into renovating his office. 

“I was forced to transfer my personal computer which was in the house to the office because I had limited resources to purchase a new one,” he says. 

Last year Mr Mutembei had seven labour project contracts, where the client buys all the materials required for the construction and he only manages the labour. 

“One flat house of about two stalls goes at about Sh9 million but I only manage about 25-30 per cent of the money for the labour where I get my profit,” he says. 

He says a two bedroom residential house costs about Sh1.2 million to build while a three bedroom one costs Sh1.8 million. 
The cost of construction, he says, is based on the purpose of the house, location and its design. 

Challenges

He has employed three permanent workers who are paid between Sh7, 000 to Sh30, 000 monthly but the pay increases by Sh1, 500 yearly. 
“I pay my supervisors Sh1,000, skilled workers Sh800 and unskilled ones Sh400 daily,” he added. 

He is currently overseeing a project at the Great Gospel Visioners International Church in Meru Town, which is his ninth project after he formed the company. 
“I call upon youth to be aggressive in life despite the challenges they are experiencing because the future is bright for everyone, it just needs determination and belief in God. 
“Taking a diploma course does not mean that you are a failure. I am a holder of a diploma certificate. Be determined, focused and everything will be well,” he added. 
Mr Mutembei who has worked with a number of construction firms says he want to venture into real estate where he will be buying pieces of land and constructing apartments for sale.  
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