Alfred Mutua Reveals How He Became a Pilot

For Alfred Mutua, the ambition to fly started when he was still a young boy growing up in Riruta Satellite, long before he ever entered an aircraft cockpit.

Mutua recalled sitting outside the wooden house he shared with his parents and siblings, fascinated by aircraft flying above their home. At the age of nine, that fascination developed into a personal ambition.

He said he wanted to one day fly an aircraft himself—not as a passenger, but as the person in control.

The dream became even stronger after a school trip to Wilson Airport while he was a pupil at Toi Primary School. During the visit, Mutua and his classmates were taken around aircraft, giving him a chance to see their interiors.

He said he was particularly fascinated by the engines and cockpit.

His passion for aviation was further strengthened during his regular visits to the Kenya National Library. Mutua would travel by Kenya Bus number 4 from Riruta Satellite to Community to read and borrow books.

On one of those visits, he came across a picture book by Dale Carnegie that discussed human limitations and how machines had made it possible for people to achieve what once seemed impossible, including flight.

The book also detailed the development of aviation, from the Wright brothers’ early experiments to modern aircraft. Mutua said the story captivated him and further fuelled his desire to fly.

Even after securing a scholarship to study in the United States, his interest in aviation remained. While building a career in communication, he took a job at an airport in Spokane, Washington, partly because it allowed him to remain close to aircraft and pilots.

However, the dream was eventually put on hold as family responsibilities, children, career demands, time and finances took precedence.

Years later, in 2023, Mutua decided it was time to pursue the ambition he had carried since childhood.

He enrolled at Ninety Nine’s Flying School at Wilson Airport in Nairobi. He spent months studying late into the night while dedicating weekends and most evenings to flight training.

About six months after beginning his training, he completed his first solo flight in Malindi.

Several months later, approximately seven months after starting his classes, Mutua sat for his test, passed and obtained his Private Pilot Licence.

The achievement, he said, represented the fulfilment of a dream that had begun when he was a young boy with limited means.

With his licence secured, Mutua continued developing his aviation skills and accumulating flying hours through 99s Flying School and Kenya Aeronautical College.

He has since trained and flown several types of aircraft in Kenya and South Africa and has accumulated more than 300 flying hours.

Mutua said he now takes to the skies whenever his schedule allows, often flying to different destinations over the weekend.

He has also begun documenting his experiences in aviation and plans to share them publicly in the hope of inspiring others to pursue their own ambitions.

According to Mutua, his journey is a reminder that dreams can be achieved through faith, determination and proper planning.

He also acknowledged the support he received from his family and friends, particularly his children, who encouraged him throughout the journey.

Photos shared alongside his account showed different stages of his aviation journey, including an image from his childhood, a later photograph of him dressed in pilot gear and another showing him inside an aircraft cockpit.

 

Mutua currently serves as Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection, a position he assumed following the July/August 2024 Cabinet reshuffle.

He previously served as Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife as well as Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs under President William Ruto.

Before joining the national government, Mutua was the first Governor of Machakos County, serving two terms between 2013 and 2022.

He also served as Kenya’s first Government Spokesman from June 2004 under President Mwai Kibaki. He left the position in 2012 before pursuing the Machakos gubernatorial seat and later founded the Maendeleo Chap Chap Party in 2016.

Having turned a childhood fascination with aircraft into reality, Mutua now hopes his story will encourage others to pursue their own dreams.

“Please come, let us fly together,” he said.