- Kevin Opiyo is the C.E.O of Braise Distributors Ltd and a Student at The University of Nairobi (UoN)
- Got nominated to Forbes Top 30 Under 30 Africa by his friend
- Besides being a talented musician, he is a politician and businessman
- The young man is also the ODM National Youth Leader of Siaya County
Youths are increasingly becoming involved in the worlds of business and technology, as well as shaping the future of the next generations. More job opportunities are created as a result, and the Kenyan economy is strengthened. KEVIN OPIYO, A.K.A Kashkid, a fourth-year student at the University of Nairobi (Chiromo Campus), discusses his experiences, with LUCKY OLUOCH, in business and politics, besides being a student of Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology & Microbiology.
Kevin Opiyo, born 23 years ago in Kisumu County, is the fourth child in a family of four. Opiyo attended Kosawo Primary School until Class 6 when he transferred to Ukwala Boys Primary School in Ugenya to complete his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE). This is after their family also relocated to Ugenya, in Siaya County. Later, he attended Ugenya High School for his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) before enrolling at The University of Nairobi (UoN).
Opiyo began as a musician in high school, where he was given the stage name Kashkid. He had no interest in leadership roles in high school until he entered university. Everything happened so quickly that he abandoned his passion for music and developed an interest in leadership.
“After joining The University of Nairobi I got interested in leadership and ended up deleting my music YouTube channel that at that time had ten thousand subscribers,” He continues amidst laughter, “I deleted the channel because I feared that once I’m an established politician, some people might decide to use the videos to fight me.”
In his second year of university, he and three other friends decided to form an organization called The Campus Chronicles, with him as the co-founder and director, Frank Ngwele as the founder, and Shanice Nungari as the other co-founder.
“We decided to form the association because we were a group of students who were actors, so the association could help nurture talents at the university,” he says.
Opiyo decided to try his hand at campus politics in his third year by running for the apex seat of the student body, the University of Nairobi Students Association (UNSA). But, as fate would have it, he was defeated by Melvin Thogo, who is now the President of UNSA.
Opiyo was fortunate to be nominated by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to their Youth League as the National Youth Leader for ODM representing the entire Siaya County despite failing to win the UNSA seat.
As the Siaya County Youth Leader, among other things, he mobilizes the county’s youths to meet the needs of the ODM Party, meets with chairpersons of Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), listens to their views and grievances, and then presents them to the ODM Party’s leadership.
“ Again, I’m a happy man because under my leadership we’ve also been able to pay school fees for some children from the county who have got financial constraints,” Opiyo adds.
Apart from music and politics, Opiyo is a businessman, and the founder of Braise Distributors Limited company, which is a Kenyan-incorporated Limited Liability company with a general interest in the construction industry. A qualified team of professionals and a wealth of experience in the relevant fields of construction such as planning, surveying, and engineering has made Braise to be one of the largest and most reliable contractors locally.
Opiyo founded the company with a capital of approximately Ksh250,000.
“25k catered for the Limited company fee and business registration and around 145k for the road works licenses and the remaining capital I used immediately on Cement supply of about 50 bags. Luckily the company got a client who agreed to invest in the company since Braise had all legal papers but funding became a huge blow so running it was a bit tricky.” He says.
Braise has grown in the last eight months, with clients responding positively and profit figures rising. Opiyo and his team strive to exceed their client’s expectations by providing the best solution for road, water, and building works in accordance with quality, environmental, and health and safety policies, as well as by incorporating the use of modern technology. The majority of their clients work in infrastructure and construction, as well as real estate.
Braise Ltd, like any other business, has had its share of losses in the business world. Opiyo recalls losing more than Ksh200,000 to a client in 2021 after delivering construction materials only to have the client vanish into thin air.
Shanice, her co-director at Braise Ltd, nominated Opiyo in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2023 because of his strong entrepreneurial skills.
Opiyo is also the Kenyan Ambassador for Best Diplomats United Nations Simulation, which is based in New York and provides a platform for delegates from all over the world to hone their diplomacy and foreign affairs skills.
