Reverend Kathy Kiuna has offered a glimpse inside a multimillion-dollar private jet she travelled in to attend Charlene Ruto’s wedding in Mwanza, Tanzania, with flight-tracking records revealing multiple trips between Nairobi and the Tanzanian city on the day of the celebrations.
The aircraft, identified by TNX Africa as an Embraer Legacy 600, is a large-cabin business jet designed to combine the range of a commercial regional aircraft with the comfort and exclusivity of private aviation.
Kiuna shared a video of herself aboard the aircraft on Tuesday, November 10, giving her followers a glimpse of its spacious interior, which features beige leather seats, polished wooden tables and carefully finished cabin fittings.
The aircraft’s registration, visible in the footage, together with its distinctive exterior and interior features, enabled us to positively identify it as an Embraer Legacy 600. Its movements were subsequently corroborated using flight-tracking data from Flightradar24.
The flight history shows that on Friday, November 6, the aircraft made two return journeys between Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Mwanza Airport.
According to Flightradar24, the first recorded departure from Nairobi was at 6:53am, with the aircraft landing in Mwanza at 7:41am. It returned to Nairobi, departing Mwanza at 8:07am and landing at 8:51am.
It subsequently departed Nairobi again at 10:43am, arriving in Mwanza at 11:33am, before making another return journey, leaving Mwanza at 7:37pm and landing in Nairobi at 8:22pm.
The four recorded legs, each lasting between 44 and 50 minutes, point to repeated operations between the two cities on the day Charlene, President William Ruto’s daughter, exchanged vows with Tanzanian businessman Isaya Yunge.
The Legacy 600 belongs to the large-cabin business jet category and was developed by Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer from its ERJ-135 regional jet family.
Unlike smaller private jets, which typically prioritise speed and short-haul convenience, the Legacy 600 was designed around passenger space, luggage capacity and the ability to undertake longer journeys without frequent fuel stops.
A defining feature is its three-zone cabin layout, which separates the interior into distinct areas for meetings, dining, relaxation and sleeping.
A review by Business Jet Traveler describes the aircraft as having a “capacious cabin”, comparing its space favourably with that of the Gulfstream GV, a much larger and more expensive business jet.
The cabin can accommodate up to 13 passengers, depending on its configuration, alongside two crew members. Its interior measures approximately 49 feet in length, with a cabin height of six feet, allowing most passengers to move around without crouching.
The aircraft also has a substantial baggage compartment, with approximately 286 cubic feet of storage space, making it suitable for group travel involving considerable luggage.
The Legacy 600 is powered by two Rolls-Royce AE 3007 engines and can cruise at approximately 850 kilometres per hour, with a maximum operating altitude of 41,000 feet. Depending on passenger load, configuration and operating conditions, it can cover approximately 5,600 to 6,300 kilometres without refuelling.
These features make it particularly attractive for business executives, corporate groups, entertainers and other travellers seeking privacy and comfort over longer distances.
The Legacy 600 is no ordinary executive aircraft, with its acquisition and operating expenses running into millions of dollars.
According to aircraft marketplace AvBuyer, current asking prices for pre-owned Embraer Legacy 600 jets range from approximately Sh450 million to Sh1.26 billion ($3.5 million to $9.75 million) depending on the aircraft’s age, condition, maintenance history and equipment.
However, buyers seeking to acquire this piece of luxury have to source from the pre-owned market since the aircraft is no longer in production, having been manufactured between 2001 and 2015.
For those who prefer to charter, the costs remain equally substantial.
PrivateJet Africa, which provides aircraft charter information and planning rates for the African market, estimates that hiring an Embraer Legacy 600 costs approximately Sh1.16 million ($9,000) per flight hour, a figure that varies depending on airport charges, ground handling, crew accommodation and other operational expenses are factored in.
Kiuna’s appearance aboard the aircraft attracted attention after she shared the footage online, accompanied by the caption, “Favor is just that. You can’t explain it. It is what it is.”
She travelled to the wedding alongside fellow preacher Reverend Julian Kyula, founder of Rhema Feast, and her daughter Vanessa Kiuna, among other guests.
Kiuna is among Kenya’s most recognisable female religious leaders. She co-founded Jubilee Christian Church alongside her late husband, Bishop Allan Kiuna, who died in July 2024 after battling multiple myeloma.
Charlene and Yunge’s wedding, held at Malaika Beach Hotel in Mwanza, attracted prominent guests from Kenya and Tanzania, with the travel arrangements of some attendees becoming a talking point in their own right.
