Thirteen years after Moi Day was renamed Huduma Day, the 10th of October is now celebrated as Utamaduni Day. For the next seven years after the constitution was promulgated, Kenyans did not celebrate the day. Later, a ruling by Justice George Odunga reinstated the holiday.
Huduma Day was established to encourage acts of service to others. This year the day will be synonymous with celebration of the rich cultural diversity of Kenya in a manner that promotes unity, national cohesion, and economic progress.
As Kenyans join the rest of the world in observing this important national day, at Optiven it is an opportunity to also look back at the company’s culture over the years. Optiven has for the last 24 years morphed to become the leading real estate company with a vast portfolio of projects that are found in ten counties across Kenya.
The company continues to be the example of a dependable partner when it comes to investing in real estate. This is a testament that has been proven over and over again with a number of awards under the Optiven cap, ranging from financial inclusivity, customer service, brand positioning, philanthropy to project planning, sustainability and human resource to name just a few.
Optiven has further stamped itself as a trusted and most admired brand in real estate in the country – so much so that it has been earmarked as a benchmark for current and upcoming players in the real estate sector.
But what makes the Optiven culture so unique? Martin Waweru, the Manager for Human Resources and Talent Development at Optiven Group credits this development to the men and women who serve at Optiven in different capacities. He says, “our staff continue to morph themselves in a unique pattern that enables Optiven to do it’s transformative business in a unique way. Whether it is in the ideologies that drive marketing or the creativity of Optiven’s communication to how we handle our stakeholders, Optiven is bound to be outstanding.”
His sentiments are echoed by the Head of Global Markets, Christine Kasaya who notes, “Optiven is at the forefront of leaving a positive imprint in the diaspora. This is not just for our customers but also with other stakeholders including the different missions and consulates in the different countries. Our strategy is to adapt partnerships knowing that each stakeholder has a role to play, for our culture at Optiven is that Optiven is for all of us.”
And with that we celebrate this important day further by agreeing to the quote, “Corporate culture is the only sustainable competitive advantage that is completely within the control of the entrepreneur.”
Happy Utamaduni Day 2023
