Late billionaire Patel's son vows to continue with his father's charity

There is a saying that an apple does not fall far from the tree. In Kittan Patel, the spirit of his father, Hasmukh Patel, billionaire and founder of Mombasa Cement, clearly lives on.

Following Hasmukh Patel's death in August 2024, Kittan Patel, the firstborn, has taken the mantle with remarkable resolve.

“The legacy did not end after my father’s death. It lives on in classrooms filled with hopeful children, in meals served to the hungry at the rehabilitated Kibarani dumpsite in Mombasa,” says Kittan.

And determined to keep his father’s light burning for the people without any discrimination, Kittan has spent Sh4 million as school fees for over 1900 families struggling to educate their children in Mombasa.

“In January alone, the company supported over 1,900 students by paying school fees directly to their schools, easing the burden on struggling parents,” says Kittan.

Among the needy who are set to benefit from the help are two orphan sisters, Estha Khatushi and Saumu Mramba, from New Hope School, who are to join Bahari Girls National School in grade 10 to pursue senior education.

He has also continued clearing hospital bills, such as mortuary bills, and buying treatment drugs for the needy.

For a moment, hope seemed to have faded away immediately after his demise, as struggling families' lifeline, especially for those struggling to educate their children, did not know who to turn to.

The warm and golden-hearted philanthropist was gone. The struggling residents were worried.

The veranda of the temple opposite the Royal Court Hotel along Haile Selassie Road in the town where Hasu used to attend to the needy was a deserted place.

The evening gathering of his top group of companies' managers, employees, and friends under his chairmanship, where they enjoyed the roasted cassava, was no longer active.

Food vendors, hawkers and street children who used to hover around the temple as they waited for his arrival bore worried faces as the philanthropist was gone.

Even cases of people being mugged in the early hours of the evening had started going up as the street children had nowhere to get food.  

The residents feared the era of compassion had come to an end, as they had nobody to light up their hopes.

As he steers the company into a new frontier, the compassion, generosity, and quiet service that defined his father continue to shape lives across the Coast.

However, it is often in the hardest of times, when parents are overwhelmed by school fees, that true legacy reveals itself.

Out of this uncertainty emerged Kittan Patel, Hasmukh Patel’s son, who has chosen not only to honour his father’s memory but also to actively carry forward his mission.

Quiet, humble, and deeply attentive to people’s struggles, Kittan Patel has taken up the mantle with remarkable resolve.

When you meet him in his office, where he has relocated the activities of his father, Kittan Patel will strike you with his simplicity and warmth.

A mention of Father’s name lights up his face. He gently shakes his head and says the father did far more than people ever expected. “My father did far more than what the people expected,” said Kittan.

A brief mention of families in distress is enough to capture his full attention. “Kindly bring them,” he says without hesitation. “We shall see how we can help,” says Kittan.

The son of the billionaire founder of Mombasa Cement understands the weight of the responsibility he now carries. The shoes are big, but he is determined to do his best for the people.

“We are still feeding the needy at Kibarani, where they get lunch every day. We are also still supporting families struggling to educate their children,” says Kittan.

Under his stewardship, the company continues to invest directly in communities. Kittan Patel speaks with pride about projects such as the construction of perimeter walls for schools and police stations.

He particularly says the company is now concentrating on Kilifi, enhancing safety and learning environments for students.

Kittan says Mombasa Cement is still managing Sahajanand Special School at Mtwapa, where over 1000 learners and needy children are being cared for.

“We are still managing Mtwapa Sahajanand Special School with many children with disabilities,” explained Kittan.

The son of the industrialist also highlights the ongoing feeding programme at Kibarani, which continues to provide food to vulnerable families long after many assumed such initiatives would have ended with the death of his father.

His respect for people is evident not just in boardrooms or public initiatives, but in everyday interactions.

The fluent Kiswahili-speaking emerging philanthropist has respect from community members to company workers; his manner reflects humility, dignity, and genuine care.

“We are offering employment for the jobless at the Galana irrigation scheme, which is already bearing fruit,” says Kittan.