US-based Kenyan lawyer Makau Mutua in 2018 launched a luxurious hotel in his hometown of Mutuni, Ngiini Village, Kitui County.
The launch was attended by ODM Leader Raila Odinga, who was also the chief guest. During the event, the former premier urged Kenyans in the diaspora to follow suit and invest back home.
The ceremony was also graced by several politicians including Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu, Wiper-Kenya Leader Kalonzo Musyoka and former Machakos senatorial aspirant Wavinya Ndeti.
Mutua built the villa with his wife Anthena Harris and was initially meant to be their home. It is located a kilometer away from Kitui town.
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Plans of the villa were drawn by David Lavender popularly known as the “firimbi activist”, and its construction began in 2014.
The house was constructed by a team led by the late Mutua’s brother Musyoka who was the contractor. The building process also involved a few of the lawyer’s kin.
Unfortunately, Musyoka died in a car accident in 2016.
The 10-bed capacity resort boasts a perfect sync of countryside features and modern facilities. Mutua came up with unique names for the art and the rooms within the facility. He named them after heroes and heroines he looks up to.
To honour his late brother, Mutua named a walkway after him, Musyoka Way. The other areas were named after historical figures such as Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, Malcom X, Amilcar Cabral, Mekatilili wa Menza, Dedan Kimathi, and Patrice Lumumba.
Mutua took the notch higher in naming other facilities within the villa. For instance, he named the gym after American boxing legend Mohamed Ali.
He named the conference hall after American human and civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr and named the library after himself.
To put a face to the names and breathe life into them, Mutua contracted skilled artists who painted images of the historical figures and had them strategically placed alongside their names within the establishment.
Mutua’s eye for creativity and sense of allure was exhibited in the construction itself. The walls were constructed using gray stone, maderas for the walkways, and multiple coloured rocks for the garden.
He contracted local artisans and labourers for the job. This represented appreciation for locally available expertise and a major boost on local businesses on his part.
The woodwork was done by Nzombe Furniture, glasswork done by Kitui Glass, WiFi, CCTV, and hotel computing system installed by Walter Mwanzia, all located in Kitui Town.
The facility is run by a close friend of Mutua, ex-Kenya Human Rights Commission staffer Vincent Musebe Akala.
“The opening of the KV by Mr Odinga in presence of Mr. Musyoka, Governor Ngilu and most of the political class in the region gave everyone an opportunity to renew and reaffirm our common commitment to a democratic Kenya and strengthen our bonds.
“At a personal level, I felt humbled and privileged to be so honored. It’s the stuff of dreams. I only wish my parents were alive to witness it,” Mutua stated after the launch.
