For more than two decades, Captain Irene Ndanu spent her career navigating aircraft across the skies.
Now, the commercial pilot says she is ready for a different responsibility on the ground after declaring her intention to contest the Machakos Woman Representative seat in the 2027 General Election, saying years of working with young people and communities convinced her that leadership is where lasting change begins.
The pilot-turned-philanthropist announced her political ambitions during an interview on Radio Generation on Wednesday, saying her decision was shaped by years of grassroots engagement across Machakos County. Through her community work, she says she witnessed leadership gaps that could only be addressed through public office.
According to Ndanu, serving others has always been part of who she is, a value she attributes to her upbringing and one that continued to guide her throughout her aviation career.
"It's just wanting to see people do well and do better. I know that sounds very cliché, but it comes very easy and naturally for me," she said.
Ndanu spent 22 years in aviation after training at the Kenya School of Flying before advancing her studies in South Africa. During her career, she flew different aircraft in the private aviation sector, a profession she says she still deeply enjoys.
"I did enjoy it, and I love to fly. I will fly till my last days, probably not commercially. Now it's just going to be for leisure," she said.
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Her interest in aviation began long before she entered the cockpit. Ndanu says Kenya's pioneering female aviator, Captain Irene Koki, inspired her to pursue flying after returning from training in the United States and joining Kenya Airways.
"One of the things that drove me to want to become a pilot is our first female pilot, Captain Irene Koki. That was my biggest motivation when she had just come back from her training in America and joined Kenya Airways," Ndanu said.
Although she had secured admission to study education at university after completing high school, Ndanu chose a different path and followed her childhood fascination with aviation.
"I was called to study education, which I didn't. I went straight to flying because I was always fascinated about flying. I wanted to know how this works," she said.
As her career progressed, Ndanu says her charitable work also grew from helping individuals into organised community programmes focused on empowering young people.
Among the initiatives she now leads is a football summit that brings together youth from across Machakos County through sports, mentorship, talent development and life skills training.
"The target for this soccer summit is the youth. It's a marketplace, not just a tournament. We have coach training, talent scouting and philanthropy extended to both boys' and girls' teams," she said.
The programme currently involves 480 teams and about 9,600 players, with participating teams receiving uniforms, footballs and logistical support.
Ndanu says it was while organising the football programme that she encountered leadership challenges at the county level, convincing her that she could make a greater difference by seeking elective office.
"When I started this soccer summit, I faced a couple of challenges that emanated from leadership in the county. When I got on the ground and saw what was happening, I felt like I could contribute to some change in that position," she said.
She also says the concerns raised by young people following the 2024 Gen Z protests strengthened her resolve to venture into politics, noting that many of them continue to feel excluded from decision-making.
"The youth embraced me, especially in Machakos. I find it very easy to work with them. I kind of feel like I understand what they need and how they think," she said.
If elected, Ndanu says one of her main priorities will be ensuring young people are actively involved in shaping policies rather than only being listened to during times of unrest.
"I would want to see the youth having a voice in our day-to-day life. Let's have them at the table wherever we are discussing. It's not an issue that they have to get out to the streets for us to hear them or feel threatened for them to speak."
As she prepares for the 2027 race, Ndanu says she is pursuing a political party ticket while continuing to build support through community projects, insisting that her work already reflects the leadership she hopes to offer.
"I'm doing it now with the little resources I have. It's sort of like a job interview. I'm not just talking about what I will do—I'm already doing it," Ndanu said.