Meet David Kariuki: MKU Landlord Terrorizing His Tenants

My story about David Kariuki is a painful personal tale of turmoil and how the landlord, who owns a majority of the shops opposite Mount Kenya University, MKU's Gate A terrorized me after I rented one of his shops. Kariuki is a nightmare landlord who doesn't deserve tenants and this is my expose.

Renting My Shop in MKU

In September last year, I was sick and tired of staying unemployed and through the intervention of my mom, set out to open a Cyber Cafe in MKU Thika. After blogging for three years with no income, my mom and I decided that come what may, I would open a shop and finally earn a living. I visited MKU back then and spotted one of the stalls beside MKU's Gate A.

A Well-Spoken Nightmare Landlord

My mom was adamant that we are opening a cyber no matter what. She sold one of her beloved cows, by the name of Guno to source the funds to help me open the Cyber Cafe. When I called the number on a sign outside the shop, I reached the landlord David Kariuki on the other end. Kariuki spoke so well and you would think he is the best landlord in the world.

My Short-Lived Success in Kariuki's Stall

When I opened the cyber, it quickly caught on and I was doing well. Kariuki even commented saying that no cyber has ever caught on that fast. Unbeknownst to me, Kariuki was jealous. I later came to learn that he hates seeing anyone succeed in one of his stalls. He hates seeing someone do well and this was the cause of the troubles that followed.

The Terror I Endured from MKU Landlord David Kariuki

By bad luck, business fell through after a month or two. The students were going on holiday early and there wasn't business as we'd expected. Through this, Kariuki had gotten his chance to start his terror. I struggled to pay the shop's rent since November and even had to sell my phone to cover rent for December. Kariuki didn't want to hear.

My Mom's Financial Struggle After Helping Me Open the Shop

At the same time, my mom was also struggling financially, having sold her cow to finance my shop. She couldn't help me pay the rent and things deteriorated. In January this year, Kariuki came on to my shop on 10th January if I am not mistaken. He found me serving customers and didn't hesitate to send someone to cut my electricity. I was appalled and in disbelief.

The Sacrifices I Made for the Shop to No Avail

Mind you, I had paid every rent since entering the shop and for December's rent, I had to sell my beloved iPhone just to pay him and get him off my back. Kariuki is relentless when demanding his rent and despite enlightening him on the tough situation, he had the audacity to come and cut my electricity. Mind you, the electricity connection to the stall is submetered which is illegal, and beyond that, we'd have times when the electricity went out due to him not buying tokens for the main meter of the stalls.

A Shameless, Untethered Landlord

Kariuki is shameless and had even sent one of his assistants to come and ask us the tenants whether we would pay for his main meter or stay without electricity. He is a callous, careless, money-hungry person who only cares for his rent. His coming to cut my electricity a day after we'd gone without power, and when I was trying to serve customers struck a nerve and I headed to Thika Police Station to report him for disturbance and annoyance. I had even blocked him by then for his nonsense.

Going to the Police

At the police station, I filed my report and gave a statement. I got an OB number and proceeded home for the day. At the time, I was barely even making rent for the place I lived and barely had enough for food. The same same day, Kariuki texted me that he'd restored electricity. He expressed that he wanted me to stay until the end of the month and then leave his shop. Legally, however, if a landlord wants to evict you, they should give you at least three months' notice.

Kariuki's Insults and Heavy-Handedness

I went to him the next day and gave him the phone to speak to the police. Kariuki burst into anger, shouting and acting all dramatic like a teenage girl. He called me stupid and said that he would evict me that same day and if he has to, "repossess" all my equipment.

I also had my Flat Screen TV and PlayStation 4 there which kept me busy when I was not working. I stayed calm and headed back to the police. I didn't utter a single word as he insulted me. He then called his construction workers to weld the doors to my Cyber Cafe shut. I couldn't do anything but head home for the day.

The next day, he sent the same welders to unlock the door and then texted me that he wants me to leave. I opened the shop and went on with my work. By then, and after telling my mom what had happened, she struggled and found me half the rent which I paid Kariuki.

"I Want You to Evict My Shop" - MKU Landlord Terrorizing Tenants

In early February, he called me to his office and demanded that I leave his shop. I told him no problem. He said that he didn't want the rest of the rent and a few days later texted me. In the text, he said that I should sit on my deposit and leave.

I had paid two months' deposit when entering the shop. He would use half the rent that I had paid him for January for any damages and we'd assume that I had not paid him anything for January. I then went on to sit on January's and February's deposits.

Closing Down My Beloved Cyber

Come the end of February I left. By this time I had become impoverished and was forced to sell my TV and PS4 to try and open another shop. To this day, I am yet to recover and I am now without a shop and my mom doesn't want to hear a thing about helping me open a shop anymore.

During the day to hand over the shop back to him, Kariuki didn't even have the guts to come to face me. Instead, he sent the wife to pick up the keys. Puny!

Why You Should Avoid Shops Opposite MKU's Gate A

There are countless incidences where David Kariuki has terrorized his tenants. He had even closed a sick lady's shop after she fell ill and was admitted to hospital and couldn't pay him rent. Kariuki also recently targeted a lady doing a nail spa business. Kariuki was jealous of her success and opened a shop for his wife next to the lady's shop. His wife doesn't know anything about nails but Kariuki terrorized the lady as he hates seeing anyone succeed.

Be Warned

As such, be warned when looking for a shop opposite MKU Gate A. If you see a 0708***129 number on a signpost, don't call it. It is better to have peace than to waste your money on renting a shop there.

I Dare Him

If Kariuki wants to come after me he has my number and I have all the evidence I need for a legal case. I am told that Kariuki could also be using witchcraft. He should try me. I dare him. Then he'll know the wrath of a cool calm young boy.

Disclaimer: I use David Kariuki's name because I have enough evidence to see him prosecuted for disturbance and unnecessary annoyance of a tenant. I also cannot confirm, for legal purposes, that this Kariuki is the David Kariuki who owns shops opposite MKU Gate A. It may or may not be him as I am sure many people are named David Kariuki. As such, before serving me legal notices:

Ask yourself whether it is only you who is named David Kariuki.

Have evidence ascertaining that indeed you are the David Kariuki referred to in this article.

Ascertain that you are the only individual in this country with the phone number: 0708***129

Shame on you little man. Grow up and act like someone with half a brain if you can't muster grown-up thinking.