It now emerges that Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro became the target of political betrayal long before Dr William Ruto became President in 2022.
Mr Nyoro is currently caught in a storm, having been - shockingly to many - removed from his position as chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee and replaced by Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi.
His close political allies have expressed their shock at his ousting and have revealed behind-the-scenes details of how he came remarkably close to becoming the Deputy President.
“I feel like it is time to tell the story of how I accompanied Mr Nyoro to a dozen meetings as he sought to elevate his political career to the national stage, way back in 2018,” said Mr Charles Mwangi, the chairman of the Mt Kenya MCAs Caucus between 2018 and 2022 and a close ally of the MP.
“We met Mr Nyoro many times and convinced him to expand his political influence beyond Murang’a County. With his youth - he was 32 years old then - we saw in him a potential Mt Kenya kingpin,” Mr Mwangi added.
“We held a meeting at Golden Palm Hotel on August 23, 2019, and resolved that Mr Nyoro should represent Mt Kenya’s interests in the run-up to the 2022 General Election. That decision made him a marked man by the Deep State.”
“It was after the Deep State, under the executive leadership of President Uhuru Kenyatta, realised that Mr Nyoro was being positioned as the future of Mt Kenya politics that he started facing harassment. This culminated in his arrest on September 8, 2019.”
He was arrested at ACK St James Cathedral in Murang’a, accused of being a public nuisance, and briefly detained at Murang’a Police Station.
Mr Mwangi said that once Mr Nyoro’s arrest was resolved without charges, they commissioned an opinion poll in the Mt Kenya region - using friendly administration officers - to determine whether to align with President Kenyatta or his estranged deputy, Dr Ruto.
At the time, President Kenyatta was actively campaigning against Dr Ruto’s succession.
“The results showed that 75 per cent of respondents favoured Ndindi aligning with Dr Ruto, while 10 per cent supported President Kenyatta’s faction.
"The remaining 15 per cent advised him to proceed cautiously, fearing that the Deep State might target him, suggesting he wait until the 2027 General Election to reposition himself,” said Mr Mwangi.
Following this, a support team was assembled, bringing together elders, professionals, clergy, and youth under the banner of “Team Nyoro for Mt Kenya.”
One of the elders who advised Mr Nyoro was former Nairobi and Nyanza Provincial Commissioner Joseph Kaguthi.
Mr Kaguthi told Sunday Nation that Mr Nyoro had been endorsed by elders as a future regional leader.
“We were concerned that President Kenyatta and his predecessor, Mr Mwai Kibaki, had not done enough to nurture political talent in the region. We saw in Mr Nyoro a young leader with intelligence, oratory skills, and strong appeal among the youth, making him a prime candidate for future leadership,” Mr Kaguthi said.
He added that Mr Nyoro was advised to fight hard in politics while maintaining regular consultations with his allies.
“It was due to such considerations that Mr Nyoro’s arrest did not escalate further,” Mr Kaguthi said.
“The only time we foresaw a potential conflict of interest was when Mr Nyoro backed Dr Ruto for the presidency, while almost 90 per cent of his advisers remained aligned with President Kenyatta.”
Kikuyu Council of Elders Chairman Wachira Kiago told Sunday Nation that Mr Nyoro had impressed many.
“It was internally gratifying to see Mr Nyoro win in Dr Ruto’s camp, even as we lost with our Odinga project,” he said. “Silently, we knew that our son had secured a strategic position for the future.”
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has since publicly disclosed that he, Mr Nyoro, Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara, current Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, current Lands CS Alice Wahome, and President Ruto’s economic advisor Moses Kuria held night meetings to strategise on securing Mt Kenya’s political allegiance for Dr Ruto.
“We would hold night meetings in our homes to strategise. Even when things got tough for me and security agents were deployed to intimidate and persecute me, I would hide in Mr Nyoro’s house,” Mr Gachagua said.
When the time came for Dr Ruto to choose a running mate, Mr Nyoro was among the shortlisted candidates, alongside Mr Gachagua and Ms Wahome.
President William Ruto chats with former DP Rigathi Gachagua (left) and Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
“Mr Ichung’wah had negotiated for the Majority Leader position; Ms Wahome and Mr Kuria aimed for Cabinet posts, while Ms Kihara sought a strategic National Assembly committee role,” Mr wangi revealed.
“Other names considered for the running mate position included Prof Kithure Kindiki and former National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi.”
Rwathia Group of Companies Director Munene Kabiru disclosed that, within business circles, there was strong support for Mr Nyoro as the preferred running mate.
“We believed in his prominence within Dr Ruto’s camp. Mr Nyoro was always by Dr Ruto’s side during the presidential campaign,” Mr Kabiru said.
“Then came the surprise - Mr Gachagua was chosen as the running mate. But we trusted Mr Nyoro’s standing within Dr Ruto’s inner circle. Mr Nyoro assured us that Dr Ruto was a good man and that we should continue supporting him, despite the outcome of the running mate selection.”
Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro addresses residents at Kariara village in Nyeri County on August 7.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
He continued: “We encouraged Mr Nyoro to pursue another senior position in case they won the presidency. We suggested he be named Interior CS… However, he later informed us that he would become the Budget and Appropriations Committee chairman, a role he saw as crucial for implementing the bottom-up economic model he strongly supported.”
The Interior CS position was ultimately given to Prof Kindiki as a form of political compensation after he controversially lost the running mate race to Mr Gachagua.
Dr Ruto later explained that he chose Mr Gachagua for his “pro-people approach and passion for public service.”
Prof Kindiki was so displeased by the decision that he initially declared his withdrawal from electoral politics, only to later reconsider and rejoin Dr Ruto’s campaign.
Following Dr Ruto’s victory, Mr Gachagua became Deputy President, Mr Ichung’wah secured the Majority Leader role, Mr Nyoro took charge of the Budget Committee, Mr Kuria and Ms Wahome became Cabinet Secretaries, and Ms Kihara was appointed vice-chairperson of the Lands Committee.
Mr Nyoro’s unwavering commitment to Dr Ruto’s presidential bid had come at a personal political cost.
According to Mr Mixson Warui, chair of the Murang’a Youths chapter, all seemed well as Mr Nyoro continued to enjoy direct access to the President.
“Our expectations were high, seeing Mr Nyoro frequently accompanying the President, seemingly poised for an even bigger political future,” Mr Warui said.
Then came the Gachagua impeachment debacle, plunging Mr Nyoro into a delicate position.
Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu told Sunday Nation that the impeachment attempt was a defining moment for many Mt Kenya leaders.
“Mr Nyoro chose to steer clear of the impeachment debate because he felt there were underlying issues that needed addressing. He was unwilling to go against Mt Kenya’s stance, nor did he wish to contradict his close ally, President Ruto,” Mr Nyutu explained.
“Instead, he focused on his core mandate of service delivery. It is frustrating and unfair that Mr Nyoro is now facing public slander and political attacks from individuals who never supported President Ruto’s government as he did over the past two and a half years.”
“We, as the Mt Kenya community, respect Mr Nyoro’s silence amid these tribulations. He remains our son, and we will support him as he navigates these political challenges,” she said.
She urged Mr Nyoro to “stay focused, remember that home is always best, and never forget that politics is local—we remain grateful to have him as our own.”
