Zaheer Jhanda Biography: Early Life, Age, Career, Family, Net Worth
| Full Name | Jhanda Zaheer Merhali |
| Known As | Zaheer Jhanda / Hon. Zaheer Jhanda |
| Date of Birth | c. 1980 |
| Place of Birth | Kisii Town, Kisii County, Kenya |
| Nationality | Kenyan |
| Ethnicity | Mixed (Arab father, Kisii mother) |
| Religion | Islam |
| Education | Kisii Primary, Cardinal Otunga High School, Kenya Methodist University |
| Occupation | Politician, Businessman |
| Political Party | United Democratic Alliance (UDA) |
| Constituency | Nyaribari Chache, Kisii County |
| Wife | Alice Moraa |
| Net Worth (est.) | Ksh 30 billion (unverified) |
Born around 1980 in Kisii Town, Jhanda Zaheer Merhali — commonly known as Zaheer Jhanda — builds his reputation first as an audacious entrepreneur and later as a Member of Parliament representing Nyaribari Chache Constituency.
His is not the typical Kenyan political story. In a region where clan affiliation historically dictates election outcomes, Zaheer Jhanda wins the August 2022 General Election on a platform of personal relationships, grassroots delivery, and a long-established friendship with President William Ruto. He achieves this as a man of mixed heritage — his father of Arab descent, his mother a Kisii native — in a constituency dominated by the majority Gusii community.
Vibrant on social media, visible in helicopters, and outspoken in Parliament, Zaheer Jhanda is simultaneously celebrated and controversial — a figure whose life arc, from pool table operator to lawmaker, is worth examining in full. This Sant Zaheer Jhanda Biography does exactly that.
Early Life and Background
Zaheer Jhanda is born around 1980 in Kisii Town, the commercial hub of Kisii County in Kenya’s Nyanza region. His family background reflects Kenya’s multicultural identity. His father carries Arab heritage — a lineage associated with the historical Arab trading and settlement presence along the East African coast and its inland extensions — while his mother is of Kisii origin and continues to reside in Kisii to this day.
Growing up in Kisii Town, he is immersed in the rhythms of a busy market town where trade and enterprise are visible values. Kisii’s culture places high regard on hard work, education, and community belonging. These early influences shape a young man who develops both a commercial instinct and a deep identification with the Kisii community — an identification he later draws on to build a political base in a constituency that does not share his full ethnic profile.
He is raised as a Muslim — a faith that becomes a quiet but significant dimension of his personal identity. His mixed background — Arab and Kisii, Muslim and community-rooted — gives him a distinct outlook that he channels into both business and public life.
Real Name
His official full name, as recorded in Kenya’s parliamentary register, is Jhanda Zaheer Merhali. In formal correspondence and on the Kenya National Assembly’s official website, he appears as Hon. Jhanda Zaheer. In everyday public discourse, however, he is almost universally known as Zaheer Jhanda — a reversal of his first and family name that became his brand long before he entered politics. The name carries a distinctly cosmopolitan ring, consistent with his Arab-Kisii roots, and is instantly recognizable in Kisii County and broader Kenyan media.
Education
Zaheer Jhanda receives his primary education at Kisii Primary School, where he enrolls in 1986 and sits his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) in 1993. He then transitions to Cardinal Otunga High School in Mosocho — one of the better-regarded secondary institutions in Kisii County — where he studies from 1994 to 1997, completing his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
His formal academic path pauses after secondary school as he moves into business. It is not until 2020 — by which point he is already a well-established businessman and a known political figure — that he enrolls at Kenya Methodist University (KeMU) to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree. This decision to return to full-time higher education while managing businesses and actively contesting a parliamentary seat reflects both ambition and a pragmatic understanding that academic credentials matter in modern Kenyan politics.
Nationality and County of Origin
Zaheer Jhanda is a Kenyan national. Born and raised in Kisii Town, he identifies Kisii County as his home — a point he has made unambiguously in public interviews. Kisii County lies in the South Nyanza region of western Kenya, bordered by Nyamira County to the north and Tanzania to the south. It is densely populated, culturally vibrant, and historically marked by intense clan-based political competition — the very system that Zaheer Jhanda’s 2022 election victory disrupts.
Despite his Arab paternal ancestry, he holds no dual nationality and operates entirely within the Kenyan national political framework. His identity as a son of Kisii is foundational to his political narrative and constituency brand.
Age
Zaheer Jhanda is born around 1980 in Kisii Town, placing him at approximately 44 to 45 years of age as of 2025. Some media reports from as early as 2019 describe him as being approximately 40 years old at the time, which is consistent with a birth year in the late 1970s to around 1980. He enters Parliament in August 2022 in his early forties — a relatively young age for a legislator in Kenya’s political landscape — and brings with him over two decades of business experience that distinguishes him from career politicians.
Family
Family is both a personal anchor and a public dimension of the Sant Zaheer Jhanda Biography. Zaheer Jhanda is married to Alice Moraa, who he identifies as a Kisii native — reflecting the community ties that underpin his political and personal identity. Together they are parents to three children, whom he has spoken of publicly as a source of grounding amid his busy political life.
His family life attracted public attention around 2017 to 2018, when Kenyan socialite Faith Makau — widely known as Amber Ray — entered the picture as a second wife. The relationship, conducted under Islamic convention which permits polygamous marriage, became a subject of intense media coverage and social media debate in Kenya. The marriage proved short-lived. By 2018, Faith Makau publicly stated the union had ended, calling it one born of bad decisions. Zaheer, for his part, maintained his primary commitment to his family with Alice Moraa.
His parents — an Arab-heritage father and a Kisii mother — shaped the multicultural household that gave him both his name and his community belonging. His mother still resides in Kisii, a detail he mentions in public interviews to affirm that his roots in the county are genuine and personal, not merely political.
Business Career
Long before any election campaign, Zaheer Jhanda earns his reputation through enterprise. He enters business in Kisii Town through the entertainment sector — operating a company called Phatfarm and running pool table businesses at a time when such ventures are popular income generators in Kenya’s urban centers. This early hustle gives him both capital and a local network.
He then expands into his family’s hardware business, managing retail outlets in both Kisii and Oyugis — a market town in Homa Bay County — demonstrating the cross-county commercial footprint that distinguishes him from locally confined operators. Hardware retail is a reliable and scalable business in Kenya’s rapidly urbanizing environment, and Zaheer Jhanda uses it as a springboard.
The next phase takes him into sugar distribution through a supply arrangement with Sony Sugar Company, one of Kenya’s major sugar manufacturers. He further diversifies into petroleum services and automobile trading, establishing a presence in Nairobi’s competitive motor industry. Through Altana Corporation Ltd, he ventures into consultancy, a business line that eventually draws public scrutiny. By the time he contests his first parliamentary seat in 2012, he is already a multi-sector operator with business tentacles extending from Kisii to the capital.
Political Career
Zaheer Jhanda’s journey into formal politics begins in 2012, when he contests the Nyaribari Chache parliamentary seat on a United Republican Party (URP) ticket. He loses that first outing to Chris Bichage — a defeat that teaches him the patience and strategy required to break into Kisii’s clan-dominated political terrain.
His second attempt comes in 2017, this time under the Wiper Party banner. He loses again, this time to incumbent Richard Tong’i of the Jubilee Party. Two defeats in a constituency where a candidate of non-Kisii majority heritage faces structural obstacles would discourage most. Zaheer Jhanda treats them as data points.
The third attempt, in August 2022, is different. Running under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) — the political vehicle of President William Ruto, a figure he claims as a personal friend of 17 years — he campaigns on delivery, relationships, and a break from the entrenched clan arithmetic. The results are decisive: he polls 31,684 votes against Richard Tong’i’s 10,039 — a margin that makes the outcome unambiguous.
In Parliament, he aligns firmly with the ruling coalition and becomes one of its vocal defenders. He sponsors a proposal to ban shisha and vaping products on public health grounds. He participates in NGCDF-funded road projects — including the tarmacking of the Menyinkwa-Gekomu Road in Kisii Central Ward — and chairs governance meetings at institutions such as Kisii National Polytechnic. His style as an MP is deliberate, visible, and frequently unconventional: in one notable instance, he invites over 100 youths to his Kisii home and presents five of them with formal employment letters — unannounced and on the spot.
Controversies
The Sant Zaheer Jhanda Biography would be incomplete without a factual account of the public controversies that trail his name.
The Fake Gold Scandal (2019): Zaheer Jhanda’s name surfaces in a multi-million-dollar fraud investigation involving a Dubai-based gold trading company called Zlivia and a member of the UAE royal family. Kenyan Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives list him as a person of interest, with reports alleging that he acts as a link between Kenyan gold sellers and the UAE buyer, who reportedly suffers losses exceeding Ksh 400 million. He is also alleged to have posed as a personal assistant to then Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi. Jhanda acknowledges providing consultancy services to Zlivia for documentation relating to commodity procurement, but firmly denies orchestrating any fraud. No criminal conviction results from the investigation.
SGR Compensation Consultancy (2018): He is cited in connection with a Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) compensation case, in which a church in Ongata Rongai — whose land was affected by the SGR route — reportedly approaches him for consultancy services. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) blocks the National Lands Commission from paying Ksh 787 million to the church. Reports claim Jhanda requests Ksh 200 million for his consultancy role; he acknowledges involvement but contests the specific figures reported.
Altana Corporation Land Scandal: His association with Altana Corporation Ltd — linked to a land compensation scandal involving former National Lands Commission Chairman Mohammed Swazuri and losses exceeding Ksh 140 million — adds another layer of public scrutiny. He denies personal culpability in the land dealings.
Net Worth
Publicly circulated estimates place Zaheer Jhanda’s net worth at approximately Ksh 30 billion, a figure that, if accurate, would rank him among the wealthiest politicians in Kenya. This estimate is unverified and not supported by any official financial disclosure. It appears to derive from assessments of his visible business holdings, lifestyle, and business associations rather than audited financial statements.
What is verifiable is his parliamentary salary: as an elected Member of Parliament, he earns a gross monthly salary of Ksh 739,600, according to Kenyan parliamentary salary schedules. His business empire — spanning hardware, sugar, petroleum, automobiles, and consultancy — likely generates income across multiple streams, though precise figures remain private. His lifestyle — which includes luxury SUVs such as the Lexus LX570, routine helicopter commutes to his constituency, and a high-profile social media presence — is consistent with significant personal wealth, regardless of the exact figure.
Lifestyle and Public Image
Few Kenyan politicians cultivate a public image as deliberately aspirational as Zaheer Jhanda. His social media presence is characterized by luxury vehicles, helicopter landings in Kisii, and visible acts of generosity to constituents. He makes no apology for his wealth and treats its display as a signal of what is achievable.
This flamboyance draws both admiration and criticism. Supporters see it as authentic — the self-made success of a Kisii son who built his wealth before seeking office. Critics raise questions about the source of his wealth and whether the display of opulence is appropriate for a legislator representing one of Kenya’s most densely populated and economically challenged counties. Zaheer Jhanda navigates this tension by pairing the lifestyle imagery with tangible constituency work: bursaries for students, employment letters for youth, road upgrades, and institutional governance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is Zaheer Jhanda?
Zaheer Jhanda, officially known as Jhanda Zaheer Merhali, is a Kenyan businessman and politician currently serving as the Member of Parliament for Nyaribari Chache Constituency in Kisii County, elected in August 2022 on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket.
Where was Zaheer Jhanda born?
He was born and raised in Kisii Town, Kisii County, Kenya. He comes from a family of mixed heritage, with his father of Arab descent and his mother a native of Kisii.
How old is Zaheer Jhanda?
Zaheer Jhanda is approximately 44–45 years old as of 2025. He was born around 1980 in Kisii Town, Kenya.
What is Zaheer Jhanda’s educational background?
He attended Kisii Primary School from 1986 to 1993, then Cardinal Otunga High School in Mosocho from 1994 to 1997. In 2020, he enrolled at Kenya Methodist University to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree.
What businesses does Zaheer Jhanda own?
His business interests span entertainment (Phatfarm company), hardware retail, sugar distribution via Sony Sugar Company, petroleum services, and automobile trading in Nairobi. He is also linked to Altana Corporation Ltd as a consultancy associate.
Who is Zaheer Jhanda’s wife?
He is married to Alice Moraa, who hails from Kisii. He also briefly entered a second marriage with Kenyan socialite Faith Makau (Amber Ray), which ended publicly in 2018. He is a Muslim, and his religion permits multiple marriages.
How many children does Zaheer Jhanda have?
Zaheer Jhanda is a father of three to four children, depending on the source. He has spoken warmly about his family and children in various public appearances.
What is Zaheer Jhanda’s net worth?
His net worth is estimated at approximately Ksh 30 billion, according to publicly circulated reports, though this figure is unverified and not officially disclosed. As an MP, he earns a gross parliamentary salary of Ksh 739,600 per month, separate from his business earnings.
How did Zaheer Jhanda win the 2022 election?
He won the Nyaribari Chache parliamentary seat in the August 2022 General Election on a UDA ticket, polling 31,684 votes against incumbent Richard Tong’i of Jubilee who received 10,039 votes — a decisive margin that broke the long-standing clan-based political arithmetic in the constituency.
What controversies is Zaheer Jhanda linked to?
He is linked to the 2019 fake gold scandal involving a Dubai-based company and alleged losses to a UAE royal family member. He has also been cited in connection with SGR land compensation dealings and the Altana Corporation land scandal. He consistently denies wrongdoing in all these matters.
What political party does Zaheer Jhanda belong to?
He is a member of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), the ruling party associated with President William Ruto, with whom he claims a friendship spanning over 17 years.
What legislation or policy work has Zaheer Jhanda done as MP?
As an MP, he has proposed a ban on shisha and vaping products, citing serious public health risks especially for youth. He actively participates in NGCDF-funded road and education projects in Nyaribari Chache and chairs key meetings at institutions like Kisii National Polytechnic.
Conclusion
Sant Zaheer Jhanda Biography is the biography of a man defined by contradictions that somehow cohere. He is of Arab and Kisii heritage, operating in a community that initially has no obligation to accept him as its own — and yet he wins its parliamentary seat on his third attempt. He builds wealth across entertainment, hardware, sugar, petroleum, and automobiles while simultaneously cultivating political capital through personal loyalty and grassroots delivery.
His controversies — the gold scandal, the SGR consultancy, the Altana land affair — are part of the public record and cannot be overlooked in any honest account. So too are his tangible parliamentary contributions: road upgrades, youth employment initiatives, bursary disbursements, and a consistent legislative voice on public health and economic governance.
From Kisii Primary School in 1986 to a Parliament building seat in Nairobi in 2022, Zaheer Jhanda covers a distance that most of his contemporaries in Kisii County never travel. The Sant Zaheer Jhanda Biography is, above all else, a story about persistence — about running twice, losing twice, and winning decisively the third time. That alone makes it worth telling.