Sheriff Jiwa

In 1899 Sheriff Jiwa came to Africa by dhow from his hometown Tithwa which is in Kathiawad. Shariffbhai together with his brother Jerajbhai moved to Tabora in the year 1902 from Bukoba via Biharamulo. In Tabora they worked with Allidina Visram for two years and gained the experience, later they started their own business on small scale. With his experience he moved ahead with wholesale business and opened branches in Bukoba, Mombasa, Mwanza and Ujiji [near Kigoma] which were the main trading centers. With their zeal and personality they became very popular amongst the other wholesale traders.

At the same time his brother Nazeralibhai and his son Mohamedali established a soft drink [soda] factory in Tabora.

Sheriff Jiwa then moved to Kisumu, in 1926 he established a small business of maize mill and a cooking oil factory in partnership with a Hindu friend. In 1928 his Hindu friend separated from the partnership and opened his own business.

In 1929, Sheriffbhai appointed his elder son Kassamali to handle Tabora branch and he moved to Kisumu.

In 1930, Daya Premji joined in the Kisumu branch with his elder son Mohamadali. His other two sons namely Gulamhussein Daya and Abdulhussein Daya were studying there during their young age. Daya Premji decided to leave the job and went to settle in Moshi and has been there since then.

Kassamalibhai lived in Kisumu up to 1938, and then left for Moshi. After Kassamalibhai left his paternal uncle, Nazaralibhai together with his son Mohamadali Nazarali continued their business which was picking up gradually, finally they were recognized to be one of the major businessmen in the city.

Lastly they split their business of Bukoba/Kisumu and Mombasa which was taken by Nazeralibhai’s family and the other business of Moshi was taken by the family of Muhamadali Shariff Jiwa known as Moshi Trading Company Ltd. Also they had leather tannery and the factory for manufacturing many leather items. Also they took over sisal state in Himo which is near Moshi.

The heirs of Late Sheriff Jiwa built a masjid in Nairobi for the ithaale thawab of their Late father’s brother Muhamadali Shariff Jiwa’s wife had were donated a guest house (musafirkhana) in Moshi.

Additional information about the family;

They also had a coffee farm in Bukoba about 6 miles away known as Lamlumba coffee estate which they later sold it to Suleman Jaffer.

The first brick building still stands opposite the masjid in Bukoba built by Sheriff Jiwa Family.

They also owned and built a coffee factory in Bukoba which was managed by a European by the name of Milson Rees. During the independence of Tanganyika they were denied the license of grinding the coffee thus the factory was closed down. The remains of this factory still exist and are used as warehouses by the Cooperative union.

Furthermore they owned a flourmill and trading company as well as a petrol station. The manger was Late Laljibhai Hirji until the company was closed.

One of the quarters in which of occupied by their staff.

One of the oldest Coffee factory.

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Translated by: F. Ali

Extracted from Community Directory 1960