Michael Joseph reveals that he started Safaricom at Norfolk apartment

Michael Joseph, the former Chief Executive Officer of Safaricom on Monday told Kenya Television Network (KTN) that he is not wealthy as many people would imagine.

Despite building the largest telecommunication in the region, Michael Joseph is also credited with building the first mobile network in Argentina and also has worked for several Telecom projects in Europe, Asia, America and Middle East in senior capacities.

The government appointed him to chair Kenya Airways Board, at a time when the airline is facing financial crisis.

Joseph told KTN in early morning show that despite his successful career spread over 55 years, he has not made enough money to qualify him as wealthy but neither is he poor.

He says that he owns a car, and two homes. “People think that I am wealthy, I am not, and I have been an employee for the rest of my life. Materially I am not,’ he said revealing that he has one car, a home in London and another one in Kenya’s Lewa conservancy area.

He said that he was at one time very much upset when Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) said he was tax payer of the year twice in a row. This he said created a notion that he is a rich man but he objects saying that it only means that he pays his taxes to KRA.

Joseph together with five of his colleagues seconded by Vodafone started Safaricom in the year 2000 starting the company at an apartment in Norfolk towers.

Article Source: KTN Kenya