Success comes to those who dare to dream, better yet, those who strive to make it despite the myriad of challenges in their path. In the case of billionaire businessman Simon Wachira, a village hawker, now owns the Magunas Supermarkets chain, Nokras Hotels, and Kilele Mall located in Kenol Town, Murang'a County.

The devout Christian was born and raised in Kiburu village on the border of Kirinyaga and Nyeri Counties. He would later relocate to Murang'a County where he decided to settle.

Wachira's entrepreneurial journey began in the 1980s as a hawker at the Makuyu market. After saving part of his profits for years, he opened a retail shop, in 1990 at Makuyu Town.

“The little I saved from my hawking helped establish a shop with a small loan. Let me tell you that you cannot expand any business without the back-up from friends you have invested along the way,” he told the Standard during a past interview.

Wachira partnered with manufacturers as the business grew and expanded the retail shop into a wholesaler, dubbed Maguna-Andu. They would front him goods on credit - paying them back after sales.

The business would later grow into Magunas Supermarket with its first location in the Kwa Maji Area now known as Magunas Stage.

Magunas Supermarkets has grown into one of the largest retailers in the country with locations in Nairobi, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Embu, Meru, and Kiambu among others.

In 2012, Wachira entered the hospitality industry, founding the Nokras Hotels. Its first location, a four-star facility in Murang'a. The hotel boasts modern dining and conferencing facilities and ranks among the best in the county.

The franchise would later expand to Kirinyaga County where Wachira built the Nokras Riverine Hotel and Spa in Sagana. The hotel has 65 rooms, 29 cottages and conference halls that can host up to 1,000 people.

Nokras Riverine has become a leading hospitality facility in the region. Utalii College has often used it to train its students and employees in the Mount Kenya region. In 2019, the hotel hosted the sixth Devolution Conference, attended by governors and other leaders from across the country.

The franchise recently opened another branch in Embu Town - located opposite the town's Huduma Centre.

Wachira owns the newly built Kilele Mall in Kenol Town. The facility has a petrol station, supermarket, various retail outlets, entertainment joints, and eateries.