Gachagua to Nyoro: Make your stand known

Ousted Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Sunday warned Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro to cease fence-sitting on political developments in Mt Kenya, but the lawmaker declined to respond despite the prodding.

Mr Gachagua said he is unaware of Mr Nyoro's position regarding the ongoing restlessness in the mountain.

Mr Nyoro declined an interview with Nation.Africa on the challenge by Mr Gachagua and the unfolding political events.

"Make your stand about Mt Kenya interests known. Your silence is not helpful. We want to know our numbers. Matters in the community are not for the silent," Mr Gachagua told Mr Nyoro in an interview with Inooro TV on Sunday, December 15.

Mr Gachagua said Mt Kenya is in a decision-making moment ahead of 2027 and people must take a stand.

He said he is happy that Murang'a County, where Mr Nyoro comes from, has enough troops to help Mt Kenya chart a way forward.

Mr Gachagua cited MPs Edward Muriu (Gatanga), Chege Njuguna (Kandara), Peter Kihungi (Kangema), Mary wa Maua (Maragua), Joseph Munyoro (Kigumo) and Senator Joe Nyutu. “I have no evidence about Mr Nyoro," he added.  

Mr Nyoro, who serves as chair for the Budget and Appropriation Committee, has been silent about national politics ever since Gen Z staged protests against Finance Bill 2024. President Ruto’s government withdrew the Bill that had unpopular taxes.

Mr Nyoro had played a pivotal role in developing and endorsing the Finance Bill.

The MP also went mute in October when the National Assembly and the Senate impeached Mr Gachagua leading to his removal from office as deputy president. President Ruto eventually named Prof Kithure Kindiki his deputy.

In the early days of the Kenya Kwanza Alliance administration, Mr Nyoro had a flurry of political events across the country.

President Ruto in most of his public meetings was accompanied by Mr Nyoro. In his speeches, the Head of State would introduce him as a "young man with a bright political future".

In the two years that the President has been in office, Mr Nyoro had been presented as the region’s alternative leader to the point some of his allies openly called for the sacking of Mr Gachagua.

But after the president dropped the Finance Bill, 2024, dissolved his cabinet, and launched a crackdown against those he branded as "treasonous criminals” following the anti-government protests, Mr Nyoro went mute.

Then came the onslaught against Mr Gachagua in the National Assembly where Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse supported by 291 MPs tabled a motion to impeach the then-deputy president.

Mr Nyoro's signature was not among those endorsing the motion and he was not even in parliament when eventually 282 members voted to impeach Mr Gachagua.

Efforts to have Mr Nyoro comment on the issues have been met with silence.

"The problem with the current political storm in Mt Kenya is that residents are demanding that their leaders take a concise position to identify with the two wings of combat--that of President Ruto and that of Mr Gachagua," said Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) don, Charles Mwangi.

Mr Mwangi says: "This scenario presents Mr Nyoro with a political dilemma of no mean proportions given that politics is local...for him to grow he must be accepted at home".

The impeachment of Mr Gachagua has widened the rift between President Ruto and Mt Kenya, whose residents were already unhappy about unpopular policies by his government.

Mr Gachagua now is the face of the rebellion in the region against President Ruto and his administration.