Businesswoman and Nakuru County Senator Tabitha Karanja has dismissed claims that she owns a private helicopter, clarifying that despite her wealth, she does not possess one.
Speaking during an interview on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, Karanja addressed the speculation directly.
“I don’t own a helicopter, and I am a billionaire, and I don’t have one,” she said when asked about allegations that she owns a chopper.
2027 Gubernatorial Ambitions
Karanja, who has expressed interest in the 2027 Nakuru gubernatorial race, emphasized that her political ambitions are not driven by financial gain.
“I don’t need money to build a car or a hotel; I just want to come and work for my people and prove that devolution was the best thing that ever happened to this country,” she stated.
The senator argued that leadership should be about service delivery and tangible development rather than personal enrichment.
Criticism of Leaders’ Sudden Wealth
In her remarks, Karanja appeared to criticize some political leaders whom she accused of amassing wealth while in public office without known business ventures.
“These people came in with nothing; today, they have private choppers. They have become billionaires. No one becomes a billionaire unless they’ve created a business that we know. You can’t just become a billionaire, and we never saw anything that you did. That is public money,” she said.
Her comments come amid ongoing national conversations about accountability, transparency, and responsible management of public resources.
Devolution Under Scrutiny
Karanja maintained that devolution remains one of Kenya’s most transformative governance reforms but argued that some county administrations have failed to fully realize its potential.
“I want to come in and show that what our governors are failing to do, it can be done. And then our people will know that devolution was the best thing ever that happened to this country,” she added.
As political alignments begin to take shape ahead of the 2027 General Election, Nakuru is expected to be among the closely watched counties, with Karanja positioning herself as a candidate focused on accountability and service-driven leadership.
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