Events
Dutch Horticulture Pioneer Hans Zwager Receives Royal Honour
On 21 January 2011, Hans Zwager, founder of Oserian Development Company and one of the pioneers of Kenya's flower industry, was awarded the Dutch royal honour of Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau in recognition of his role in strengthening Kenyan-Dutch business relations and helping establish Kenya as a global floriculture powerhouse. Together with his wife, June, Zwager was among the first entrepreneurs to export Kenyan flowers to European markets, contributing significantly to the growth of the Lake Naivasha horticultural sector. His investments also extended into geothermal energy, conservation, ecotourism, education, healthcare, and infrastructure, leaving a lasting impact on both Naivasha and Kenya's economy.
On 21 January 2011, Naivasha-based horticulture pioneer Hans Zwager was awarded the prestigious title of Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau by the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The honour was presented by Dutch Ambassador Joost Reintjes in recognition of Zwager’s contributions to strengthening Kenyan-Dutch business relations and helping establish Kenya’s flower export industry.
Born in Heerlen, the Netherlands, in 1926, Hans Zwager was the founder of Oserian Development Company Ltd and is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of commercial flower farming in Kenya. Together with his wife, June Zwager, he helped open European markets to Kenyan flowers, becoming among the first exporters of Kenyan roses and cut flowers to the Netherlands and the wider European Union.
Through Oserian and other ventures around Lake Naivasha, Zwager played a major role in transforming Naivasha into one of the world’s leading floriculture centres. His investments extended beyond horticulture to include geothermal energy, conservation, wildlife protection, education, healthcare, infrastructure, and ecotourism.
The honour added to an earlier recognition by the Kenyan government when he received the Order of the Moran of the Burning Spear in 1998. Today, Hans Zwager is remembered as one of the key figures behind the growth of Kenya’s flower industry and the economic transformation of the Naivasha region.
