His father, from whom he takes the name Shimanyula, reportedly assisted him to buy an old saloon car, which he used as a taxi for more than a decade.
From there, he ventured into the matatu business with one vehicle he said he bought using a bank loan.
Details of Shimanyula’s education remain scanty.
In previous interviews, he said he did not complete his basic education. He does not shy away from admitting he could never have excelled in the academic world.
From a humble beginning and through elbowing himself around in the rough and tumble of matatu business, Shimanyula grew to become a household name in Western Kenya’s public transport sector.
“He always had problems with our officers because his vehicles would be involved in traffic offences,” says a former police commander in the area.
His matatus initially plied between towns in western Kenya before he plunged into long-range transport services nearly a decade ago, under the Homeboyz brand.
Despite his little education, his business acumen has baffled many. Those close to him, and who declined to be named, described Shimanyula as an industrious man who seizes every opportunity to make maximum gain.
He is also dreaded because of his influence and has on many occasions had brushes with law enforcement agencies.
They say from his first matatu, Shimanyula has grown his fleet estimated at more than 50 vehicles that dominate the Kakamega-Kisumu route with a workforce of about 1,000 people.
Apart from the matatus and mini-buses, which he operates under the brand name ‘Homeboyz’, he also has vast interests in other sectors.
He has interests in real estate and, lately with the advent of devolution, construction business.
Shimanyula also runs a cleaning firm that is contracted by the county government to collect garbage in Kakamega town and satellite centres. It has an estimated workforce of about 500 mainly youth and women.
All his business interests estimated to be worth millions shillings fall under his Western Cross Express Company Limited.
As his business grew, Shimanyula is said to have mentored and propped up his brothers who have also joined the transport sector.
Because of his monopoly of the transport sector, Shimanyula is one of the major forces in Kakamega county politics. Although he has never vied for a political position, he is said to have the ears of politicians in the region and is an opinion shaper. They hire his vehicles and facilities as well as use his support to mobilise for major political activities.
Shimanyula is known to be connected with all the region’s main political players, including Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo. Many political operators use him or his infrastructure to mobilise for rallies or major events.
As Shimanyula’s influence has grown over the years, so have his social engagements. Among others, he founded the the Premier League side Kakamega Homeboyz Football Club, which he owns.
Shimanyula and a co-director Bernard Shitiabayi were charged in a Molo court on Thursday with manslaughter over the death of 56 people in the bus crash at Fort Tenan on Wednesday morning.
Another 15 people were admitted in critical conditions.
The two did not take plea.