Nairobi businessman Kidake Alex Malova has spoken candidly about the woman beside him long before the properties, cars and business ventures that now define his public image. Nairobi Businessman Praises Wife Who Stood by Him When He Was Broke, Funded His Business Source: Facebook Her name is Caroline Muthoni, his wife and the mother of their three children, and Kidake says she deserves far more recognition than she typically receives. Started With Almost Nothing The two met when Kidake was 20, and Caroline was 18. At that point in their lives, neither had money nor connections to lean on. They sold second-hand shoes and clothes, holding onto the belief that their circumstances could change. By the time Kidake turned 21, they welcomed their first son, Jakes, followed thirteen months later by their second son, Ron Liester Karanja Kidake, and eventually a daughter, Shirlyne. To allow Kidake to concentrate on building a financial foundation, Caroline stepped back from her own ambitions and focused on raising their children. More Than a Wife Kidake describes her as far more than a wife during that period, indicating that she was not just his wife, but also a business adviser and trusted partner through the difficult early years. He recalls a time when he did not even own a decent pair of shoes. While people today associate his name with vehicles, real estate and international travel, Caroline, he says, remembers who he was before any of that existed. “She did not run away. She stood with me,” he said.
As a direct acknowledgement of her sacrifice, Kidake bought Caroline a car before purchasing one for himself, continuing to use matatus while she drove. Stars Microfinance and a KSh 30m Bet on Wife In 2020, Caroline approached her husband with a vision: a microfinance business designed to help women who struggle to access capital through conventional lenders. Kidake backed the idea fully, helped register Stars Microfinance, and invested roughly KSh 20 million at the outset, providing KSh 2 million in cash, covering employees’ salaries for six months and purchasing equipment. In 2024, Caroline injected a further KSh 10 million into the business after selling one of their vehicles. Loan defaults and operational pressures tested the enterprise along the way, but the business continued. Message to Husbands and Wives Kidake’s message to men is straightforward: do not treat your wife as a competition. In his words, it is prudent to always remember the wife who stood with you when you finally achieve success. He also urged men to value the contribution of women who remain at home to raise children, arguing that such work is not passive. “She invested in me when my market value was almost zero,” he said. Whatever legacy he eventually leaves behind, he says, carries her fingerprints.
