The Muhoroni Man: A Story of Courage That Refused to Break
In the heart of Muhoroni, where the scent of crushed cane rises each morning and the hum of factory machinery echoes through the town, stands a community built on endurance.
For decades, life here has revolved around its iconic sugar factory, a landmark older than many of the men who have spent their lives working within its walls.
Established in 1964 as East Africa Sugar Industries Ltd and beginning operations two years later with a modest 800-tonne-per-day crushing capacity, the factory grew into a regional powerhouse.
Yet behind the industrial statistics lies a deeply human story one forged through sacrifice, loyalty, and an unwavering belief in tomorrow.
For the men of Muhoroni Sugar Factory, the factory has always been more than a workplace. It is a lifeline, a legacy, a source of pride. But even their strength was tested in ways they never imagined.
Before the Kipchimchim Group took over the factory, salaries went unpaid for nearly five years. Five years of showing up every morning, repairing machinery, cutting cane, tending boilers knowing that no payslip would come.
Still, they stayed. Still, they worked. Still, they hoped.
For many, the decision to remain was born out of responsibility. Families needed food. Children needed school fees. The factory’s own school, attended by their children, became both a painful reminder and a source of motivation.
So they pressed on not for the promise of pay, but for the promise of a better future.
That future finally arrived. When the Kipchimchim Group took over and restored operations, the workers received their first salary in almost half a decade. It was more than payment, it was a return of dignity.
It is this remarkable resilience that moved NCBA Bank to mark Men’s Day in Muhoroni, choosing the town as the venue for a special celebration honouring the longest-serving employee and the spirit of the Muhoroni man.
The Man Who Carried 33 Years of Muhoroni on His Shoulders
Beyond production numbers and industrial revival lies the story of Jeremiah Okello, who has served the factory for 33 years. When Jeremiah joined, only 2% of the workforce were women.
The Muhoroni Man: A Story of Courage That Refused to Break
The work was harsh, physical, and unrelenting. But Jeremiah showed up with humility and quiet strength qualities that would define his entire journey.
The factory became his second home. He built friendships, earned respect and shaped his life around duty. When the hard years came, he did what many could not he kept showing up. Every day. Punctual. Consistent. Unwavering.
During NCBA’s Men’s Day celebration, Jeremiah’s son revealed something that silenced the entire room:
“My father never showed any form of struggle. Not once.”
For five unpaid years, Jeremiah shielded his family from the pain he silently endured. His son only learned the full truth much later. Resilience like that isn’t taught. It is lived.
Just days earlier, Jeremiah had quietly marked his birthday. He expected nothing more than an ordinary workday. Instead, NCBA honoured him as Muhoroni’s longest-serving employee. His son said he had not seen his father that happy in years.
The recognition, care package, grooming session, and heartfelt appreciation moved him deeply. It was not corporate showmanship; it was human. Genuine. Needed.
A Celebration With Purpose and a Message of Healing
NCBA also distributed 100 care packages sourced from Muhoroni, an intentional gesture to reinforce solidarity with the community that has sustained the industry for generations. Muhoroni’s management team presented their own tokens of appreciation and, most importantly, spoke to the men about mental health.
They urged the workers to shed the culture of silence and to speak out when overwhelmed, an important message in a region where deaths by suicide among men are rising. Their message was simple:
Strength is not silence. Strength is speaking when life becomes too heavy.
Beyond the Celebration: A Commitment to Build Muhoroni’s Future
NCBA’s involvement extends far beyond Men’s Day. The bank has partnered with the Kipchimchim Group to finance the construction of the West Valley Sugar Factory, a project breathing new life into Muhoroni Sugar Company. This investment represents stability, revival, and long-term opportunity for thousands.
From financing regional development to opening a branch in Kericho to maintaining community-centred initiatives, NCBA has proven that it is not just a bank but a partner.
A partner that sees the man behind the boiler suit, the parent behind the payslip, the hero behind the factory gates.
A Tribute to the Muhoroni Man
As the day drew to a close, one truth became clear:
The Muhoroni man is not defined by hardship, but by how he endured it.
For the first time in a long time, he stood honoured, valued and truly seen. This was more than a Men’s Day event.
It was a tribute to courage. A celebration of dignity. A reminder that resilience has a face, and in Muhoroni, it belongs to a man who kept showing up, day after day, even when the world gave him every reason not to.
