Washington Mageto’s betrayal lesson in a good name quest

The Turks have a proverb. “A man who sleeps on the floor cannot fall out of bed.”

Washington Mageto learned this quite early, whence, under the comfort of his blanket in a bunker at Daystar University, he fell hard, on the corrugated concrete floor of life. First, he got someone’s daughter pregnant. That “someone” was a bishop. Then, his scholarship was redacted…for similar reasons. He was just 21. What could have taken him four years, cost him 12 years.

Now he considers his past. He speaks of wanting to make a good name, for even the Holy Book states that a good name is better than silver and gold.

So he started different businesses; from MAG-TECH INC (now MTI Group—an investment portfolio company), which undertook cyber security and digital forensics to ITIPS Ventures (a software and website development company). Currently, he runs PLAT-DEL, a multi-vendor e-commerce and logistics marketplace. This is what happened when his Potemkin village of youth was destroyed, when he understood what many of us come to learn later in life: that gods, do in fact bleed.

At the Lukenya Motocross, he talks about faith in God, his love for speed, his daughter…and occasionally shifts in his chair, to show me the knife lodged in his back from people he trusted.

We come here for the fun bit. I like doing nature trails, swimming, and quad biking.

When I was studying at Daystar. It was the thing that kept us going.

We pick them up and just stroll around with friends, but it is within a confined area. I would love to try it as a sport because I love speed.

I just finished repairing my car after it got involved in an accident. I wasn’t the one driving but I was in the car. The bumper was completely damaged. It took me four days to fix it, myself—all the work.

We do everything, haha! That’s what  thrills me, the ability to come up with something, research, and execute it.

Not yet. I am near that fast lane. I think it is everyone’s dream to be in the fast lane.

I have two things I do: there are times I like to calm down on worship music. And then I tend to have conversations with my eight-year-old daughter. That lady can talk, haha! I have had to develop the patience to sit and just listen. So, when things are moving fast, I video call her and it smoothes and slows down things.

I used to be scared. For a while I contemplated putting up an Mbwa Kali (fierce dogs) sign on the gate. I have learned the art of raising a child, to talk her into not conforming to what society wants. I am realistic that she needs to interact with everyone in society— the good and the bad, which is crucial to shaping  perspectives. What I do is ask her what her opinion is from an interaction then I shape that opinion.

We rarely had time to play because  we grew up in a slum, and that comes with its idiosyncrasies and demerits. We were always fearful that our parents would beat us up. I am not raising my daughter to be fearful, but that  does not mean I am doing away with caning for discipline purposes.

I have always had the drive to be an entrepreneur but at 21, I got my daughter, and that shaped how I viewed entrepreneurship. The question was how do I pass along what I have 20 years from now as opposed to living for the moment—which I do occasionally.

Yes, I was still at university, in my first year. I was studying under a church sponsorship and the mother of my daugher was a bishop’s daughter—

It was hectic. But looking back, I can say it gets better with time. I stepped up and raised my child. She turned out to be my greatest happiness…and for the bishop as well, haha!

We are very good now. It took us seven years to get here.

It was problematic because my sponsorship was terminated and it took me more years to complete a four-year degree, approximately 12 years. It shook my belief, and the respect that existed shifted and some friendships ended. The beauty of all this is that I grew, both spiritually and mentally.

A good name. It is one of the things I have been trying to build for a couple of years. It comes from being a businessman and a reputation goes a long way. I have seen how a good name opens doors—in business and to the changes in life that I make, creating opportunities for people.

I form the reputation and from time to time, one might not live up to it. So the reputation somehow lives up to my pace.

Not really. The people who know me know my capacity. If I say I will do something, then I will—it does not matter what anyone else says.

Without mentioning names, some people have taken me through schooling. They had no reason whatsoever to play that part, but they did. Some people gave their lives for me to do this—giving out money to help me pen down contracts, and stepping up as guarantors. They did a lot without knowing what they did. It’s a collective effort.

How I trust. Initially, I’d meet you and trust you immediately. I have changed my mind on how I commit—and this is as recent as yesterday. It is still a work in progress.

I had investments that did not materialise. They (prospective investors) came with different business ideas, which I helped shape by solving an African problem as opposed to their European gaze. I trusted that they would walk the path with me, but in less than a year, they had shifted the line of business and poached some of my employees. They used some staff members to divert funds…it was hectic. From now, I deal with people as strangers first then I will trust many years later, depending on one’s behaviour.

My level of resilience and calmness in the middle of a storm. It can irk people.

There is no rush. You rush, you will get there. You walk slowly, you will still get there. Add that as your virtue.

You do have the ability to have it all,  but what’s the point?

Haha! I am a secretive open book, if that makes sense. There are things I keep dear but you might know them without me telling you.

I have never thought about that. I need to think about it, but it could be a fast-paced beat.

Drama. I dislike drama and conflict. The less of that the better. [chuckles]

You are looking at an astute man.

Keep it up. Or keep it going.

For never stopping. And for believing what I promised myself. And for being the man that I am.

Nature. Do a nature trail, hiking and hang out with friends somewhere with no cellular network.

God. You should know him.

The way He does things in ways we do not deserve and comprehend is why I think you should know Him. His ways are awesome.