How Tonnie Kamau Built Jazamarket.com to Give Kenyans a Fair Online Marketplace

When Tonnie Kamau first dreamed of creating his own online marketplace, he had no investors, no big office, and no team of experts behind him.

What he had was determination and a simple question that wouldn’t leave his mind:

“Why can’t Kenyans have an online platform that truly works for them?”

That question became the spark that gave birth to Jazamarket.com, a fast-growing online marketplace that is quietly changing how Kenyans buy, sell, and do business.

For Tonnie, the road to success was anything but smooth. Like many young entrepreneurs, he faced moments of doubt, empty pockets, and failed attempts that could have easily broken his spirit.

“I didn’t start Jazamarket because I had money,” he says with a smile. “I started it because I was tired of seeing Kenyans depend on foreign-owned platforms that didn’t understand our needs.”

At the time, platforms like Jumia, Jiji, and Kilimall dominated Kenya’s e-commerce scene.

But Tonnie noticed something missing a sense of ownership and fairness for local traders, small businesses, and hustlers trying to make ends meet.

He wanted to change that.

Starting from his small apartment with just a laptop and a dream, Tonnie began designing what would later become Jazamarket.com, a one-stop online marketplace where anyone could buy, sell, or advertise their products and services affordably.

The early days were tough. Servers crashed, traffic was low, and there were weeks when not a single sale happened.

But he never gave up.

He called business owners personally, sent emails to strangers, and even walked into offices around Nairobi and Thika to explain how Jazamarket could help them reach customers without breaking the bank.

“Some people thought I was crazy,” he laughs. “But slowly, a few believed and that’s all I needed to keep going.”

Today, Jazamarket.com has thousands of visitors every month and is steadily becoming one of Kenya’s most trusted homegrown marketplaces.

From real estate agents and electronics dealers to small-scale farmers and service providers, more Kenyans are finding value in a platform built for them, by one of their own.

“Our goal isn’t to compete with Jumia or Jiji,” Tonnie says. “It’s to give Kenyans a fair space to trade, grow, and be seen.”

Unlike most platforms that charge high advertising fees, Jazamarket keeps its services simple and affordable.

Businesses can list their products, promote services, and reach new clients without worrying about hidden costs.

For Tonnie, Jazamarket isn’t just a business — it’s a statement.

A statement that Kenyan youth can innovate, create, and build sustainable solutions.

“I know what it feels like to start from zero,” he says. “That’s why Jazamarket is for everyone from the mama mboga selling vegetables to the young techie looking for a client. Everyone deserves visibility.”

The platform now features multiple categories — from real estate, vehicles, electronics, jobs, and services — giving Kenyans a convenient digital space that’s both professional and relatable.

As he looks to the future, Tonnie envisions Jazamarket.com becoming a household name, the go-to online space for local business and innovation.

He’s already working on partnerships with SMEs, real estate firms, and digital marketers to expand opportunities for Kenyan traders.

“We’re not just building a website,” Tonnie says proudly. “We’re building trust, one clicks at a time.”