Kenyan Man Who Left Kenya to Join British Army Ends up Running Tour Company: “I gained knowledge”

• Boniface Waweru from Kiambu is now running a successful tour operator in London after being rejected by the country’s army
• Waweru had been told of the opportunity by an uncle but unfortunately, they could not afford the KSh 200, 000 needed for a family to host him
• Eventually, he got the money but after landing in the UK rules were changed and he couldn’t join the army, prompting him to start Jungle Dwellers tours company

Sometimes even the best-laid plans don’t always work out and when Boniface Waweru from Kiambu was rejected by the UK army, he stayed on in the country to make something out of himself.

Waweru was unable to join British Army

In 2009, an uncle told Waweru of an opportunity to work in the British Army, but his plans stagnated because he couldn’t afford the KSh 200 000 required to be hosted in the country.

Read also

Oburu Odinga Flies to India, Undergoes Knee Surgery: “It’s Cheap Here”

Eventually, he got the money, but the rules changed and only people who have been in the country for more than five years could join the army.

“I came here to London to chase greener pastures here in the British Army, but the dream didn’t come true,” he told Alex Chamwada on Daring Abroad.

Waweru, who comes from Kiambu, is a Kiragare High School and Amboseli School of Hospitality and technology alumni.

Waweru worked at Giraffe Centre

At college, Waweru studied Studied Tourism and Business Studies, and afterward, his impressive CV entailed organisations such as Giraffe Centre and David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant Orphanage.

He also worked at the Nairobi National park, the National Museum of Kenya, and a two-year stint at Tanzania’s Panama Hotel.

Read also

Francis Waweru: Americans Raise Over KSh 1m for Stranded Kenyan Student to Keep Him in School

“I interacted with travel agents, and hoteliers, learnt about Tanzania’s tourism, and connected it to Kenya’s tourism. I gained a lot of knowledge basically about East African tourism,” he added.

Jungle Dwellers was founded in 2019

Jungle Dwellers was born in 2019. Basically, the company is a full-service tour operator with ground services in Kenya.

“If you want to do Safari or adventure you have to be in the jungle and if you want to experience you have to dwell there even for a month,” said Waweru.

On average, 100, 00 Brits visit East Africa each year with the peak season falling between July and October

We sell Safaris to Kenya and Tanzania

“We sell safaris, beach holidays to Kenya and Tanzania, and also international flight tickets. We have international clients from Canada, Australia UK, and America. The last season we 10 Asians,” he disclosed.

Read also

Kabuchai MP Majimbo Kalasinga Defends Importation of Duty Free Maize: “Popcorn is GMO”

Asians are also coming on board and Wawru boasts that last season they served 10 people of Asian origin.

“What makes us stand out from our competitors is service delivery, we stick with our clients from inquiry time to when they get back,” he said.

“We do welcome their feedback whether negative or positive,” he added.

Jungle Dwellers also offers similar services to people who want to visit the UK from Kenya.

“We help them apply for the visa, process their flight tickets,” he said.

Waweru lives in Ilford, London

According to the Ilford, West London resident, to run such a business you have to be tax compliant.

You also have to stick to the quote and itinerary you gave the client or find yourself in great trouble.

The entrepreneur, who has been living in London for ten years, said whenever there is a travel ban in Kenya it affects their business.

Read also

Ghanaian Village Boy Who Sold Coconuts, Slept Outside Gets Scholarship to Canada

Additionally, COVID-19 hit them hard as they had just started operations in 2019 and hence were yet to stabilize well in the business.

Man quits British Army for Immigration consultancy

Waweru is not the only Kenyan who started with army plans another Kenyan man who decided to quit the British Army at only 35 years is now the owner of a thriving consultancy firm in the UK.

By the time Tyrus Njenga was quitting his job, he had attained the title of a sergeant in the army and had been deployed to countries such as Jordan, Afghanistan, Germany, etc.

Back at home, Njenga runs a company called T-Gram, which also helps people seeking to travel to the UK for work, pleasure, or further education.

Source: TUKO.co.ke