CAS Millicent Omanga has shared that she achieved her first million Kenyan shillings at the age of 19 while working as a street vendor.
During an interview on MC Jessy’s YouTube show, Jessy Junction, Omanga disclosed that her entrepreneurial journey commenced during her time as a university undergraduate at the University of Nairobi. Remarkably, she amassed her first million within just one year.
“At the age of 20, while still a university student, I purchased a brand new car. I would allocate a portion of my school fees to acquire merchandise in Eastleigh, which I later sold at a profit. By the time exams rolled around, I had already generated profits, which I used to cover my tuition fees,” she recounted.
Omanga emphasized her determination to make money, selling a wide array of items, including bedsheets. She proudly claimed to be one of the most significant suppliers of bedsheets in the country.
Her first million was secured after winning a contract to supply bedsheets to a hotel in Eldoret, enabling her to expand her import business.
“With a capital injection of one million shillings, I knew I could purchase a good car in Dubai. I paid the down payment and acquired additional merchandise,” she added.
Notably, two years prior, during a year-end celebration for Pitchface, a marketing company owned by South Mugirango MP Sylvanus Osoro, Omanga openly acknowledged William Ruto as the driving force behind her success, crediting him with elevating her from street vending to becoming a public figure.
“This is one individual who genuinely believes in the leadership potential of young people,” she lauded.
Omanga also revealed that her appointment as a director at the Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) following Jubilee’s rise to power in 2013 was facilitated by Deputy President Ruto.
Nominated by the ruling party, she recounted being summoned to the office of then Energy CS Davis Chirchir, who swiftly appointed her as a director at KenGen during a meeting that transpired within an hour.
“When CS Chirchir called me and directed me to rush to his office, I was bewildered, unsure of what I had done. Upon arrival, he informed me that KenGen’s annual general meeting was scheduled for the next day, and I had been nominated as one of the directors. It was almost unbelievable,” she recalled.
She served as a director at KenGen from 2013 to 2017.
Currently, Omanga owns and operates Milways Enterprises, a company specializing in construction, interior decoration, and imported furniture.