Kasarani Member of Parliament Ronald Karauri has argued that Nairobi needs a governor who understands the everyday struggles of its residents, saying leadership of the capital requires experience beyond politics.
Karauri, who is eyeing the Nairobi gubernatorial seat in the 2027 General Election, said his background in employment, aviation and business had exposed him to different realities of life in the city.
Speaking during a morning breakfast show on local television on Thursday, November 12, the legislator questioned the criteria used by Nairobi residents to elect their leaders, arguing that political considerations had overshadowed practical management experience.
“The troubles that we have in Nairobi today are simply because we’ve been choosing the wrong leaders for that position,” he said.
He argued that the county’s persistent challenges, particularly in financial management, required leaders with experience handling resources and understanding the economic realities facing residents.
“Nairobi has very huge problems and many of the problems are attributed to the fact that in terms of financial management skills, this is my opinion, the people we put there do not have that experience at all,” Karauri said.
The MP said the next governor should have experienced life outside political office, including earning a salary and running a business.
He maintained that such exposure would help a county leader understand the pressures facing Nairobi’s workers, entrepreneurs and low-income households.
“Nairobi needs a leader who’s not just based on political experience but who has lived outside of politics and has seen the problems of Nairobi from someone who has worked, who has earned a payslip like everybody else and at the same time has done business,” he said.
Karauri added that many Nairobi residents depend on businesses for their livelihoods, making practical understanding of the business environment important in county leadership.
“Most of our Nairobi people are business people and they know the struggles they face as businessmen. So to run Nairobi, you need someone who has experienced life as a Nairobian outside of politics to solve those problems,” he said.
He cited his previous career as a pilot with Kenya Airways to explain how people can experience Nairobi differently depending on their economic circumstances.
Karauri recalled that his routine involved driving to the airport, using the Nairobi Expressway, flying to his destination and returning home, a routine that limited his interaction with some of the challenges facing ordinary residents.
“There are very different realities of Nairobi that many people don’t see,” he said.
Using Ksh2,000 as an example, he explained that an expense that might appear insignificant to a high-income earner could have a substantial impact on a struggling household.
“What 2,000 shillings means for someone like me who was going on a plane is not the same as someone who is actually very down. It has a huge impact,” he added.
During the interview, Karauri also outlined his development record in Kasarani, particularly investments in public education through the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF).
He said the constituency had constructed 79 new classrooms, renovated 25 classrooms and built 11 ablution blocks.
The MP further disclosed that 35,900 students had received bursaries, with Ksh263 million spent on the education support programme.
“We’ve built 79 new classrooms, 11 ablution blocks, we’ve renovated 25 classrooms, we’ve given bursaries to 35,900 students,” he said.
Karauri said one of the challenges he encountered was ensuring that bursaries reached families that had previously struggled to access the funding.
He also highlighted congestion in public schools, saying some classrooms had accommodated up to 150 pupils against a recommended 50 learners per classroom.
Citing a school in Manyata, Ruiru, he recalled finding pupils learning in makeshift iron-sheet classrooms, with livestock sometimes moving around the school compound.
“They had Mabati classes, and this is Nairobi. They had Mabati classrooms. We had to build new classrooms, ablution blocks,” he said.
The interviewer cited a difference between bursary figures of Ksh56.12 million and an audited schedule showing Ksh55.35 million, a variance of approximately Ksh770,000.
Karauri attributed the difference to gaps in supporting documentation from schools and families during the audit process.
“It is not impropriety,” he said, adding that audits were intended to improve financial management and ensure that supporting documents were available.
He agreed that every shilling spent should be traceable and accounted for.
His remarks place business experience, financial management and public service at the centre of his emerging pitch for the Nairobi governor’s seat ahead of the 2027 General Election.
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