It took Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro ten years to build his political profile to the point that he is now at the centre of a scramble, with major political parties competing to recruit him ahead of the 2027 general election.
Those who have already expressed a desire to work with Mr Nyoro ahead of the 2027 election include President William Ruto, the leader of the Democracy for Citizens Party, Mr Rigathi Gachagua; the leader of the Jubilee Party, Fred Matiang'i; and the leader of the Linda Mwananchi Party, Babu Owino.
On April 1, 2025, while at State Lodge Sagana, President Ruto claimed to be Mr Nyoro’s political mentor, saying that he could achieve more with him in the future.
Two weeks ago, while touring Murang'a County, President Ruto said he was a friend of the Kiharu constituency and its leaders. Alice Wahome, the Cabinet Secretary for Lands, invited Mr Nyoro to partner with the government for the 2027 election.
Two days later, on April 26, Dr Matiang'i revealed during a visit to Mathioya constituency that he was working closely with Mr Nyoro, and that he had received a church donation from the Kiharu MP.
In a recent TV interview, Mr Gachagua challenged Mr Nyoro to declare his allegiance, warning that community matters cannot be handled by politicians without a clear position.
Rigathi Gachagua publicly pleaded with Mt Kenya voters to "uplift him as your leader" and adopt him as the region's kingpin to coordinate the 2027 race.
Photo credit: File | Nation
Mr Gachagua urged Mr Nyoro to make up his mind quickly, warning him that Mt Kenya voters are known to punish those they perceive as outsiders severely.
On Friday, Mr Owino said, "Mr Nyoro is welcome to contribute to the battle to liberate Kenya anytime, anywhere."
However, the 40-year-old, second-term MP is being evasive, preferring to remain safely on the fence while realignments rage in Mt Kenya and across the country.
According to political analyst Stanley Wang’ombe, Mr Nyoro is currently the fifth most influential politician in Mt Kenya.
“In a March 2026 research report that I had the pleasure of compiling, the other persons of influence in the region are former President Kenyatta, Mr Gachagua, President Ruto, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Dr Matiang’i. Winning a Mr Nyoro partnership in Mt Kenya is good for perceptions and general effect,” he said.
“Mr Nyoro is both a good ally for those who want to unite or divide Mt Kenya ahead of 2027,” Mr Wang’ombe said.
In a recent interview with NTV, Mr Nyoro said that he would remain uninvolved in the ongoing conflict, stating that he would first observe the situation and then make a decision in January 2027.
In relation to his potential plans to unveil his own political party and contest the presidency, or to lobby for a running mate position within the various formations, Mr Nyoro said that it is too early to take a stand.
"All these formations you see around are loose. Most of them will not survive beyond 2026. More realignments will continue to occur and they will start to take definite shape next year. That is when I will make my position clear,” he said.
According to Wachira Kiago, Chairman of the Kikuyu Council of Elders, Mt Kenya leaders gain national appeal once they have been accepted locally.
“While every politician is free to chart their own path, it is a confirmed reality that acceptance at home is the launching pad to national prominence. Mr Nyoro appeared to enjoy widespread support in the region until 2018, when Mt Kenya politics became unstable,” he said.
Mr Kiago said that the impeachment of Mr Gachagua as Deputy President had a factory-reset effect on Mt Kenya politics, with all area leaders being called to order by voters to reaffirm their loyalties.
“It is clear that the impeachment has distanced many area voters from President Ruto and his government. Since then, it has become common for voters to demand to know which members of their leadership support President Ruto and which support the opposition. This region appears to be more of an opposition zone,’ he said.
"The 87 percent who voted for President Ruto in 2022 included Mr Nyoro, a key pillar of those campaigns," added Mr Kiago. He noted that, while 12 percent did not vote for the Ruto–Gachagua ticket in 2022, former President Kenyatta and Mr Gachagua have now joined forces in an attempt to unite the region and vote out President Ruto in 2027.
President Ruto has also fought back, trying to prevent the possibility of losing the support of the very people who literally installed him as president by giving him 47 percent of his 2022 win.
This competition appears to have disturbed Mr Nyoro so much that he is unsure which side of the government or the opposition will support him.
Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro.
Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation
According to political analyst John Okumu, Mr Nyoro may be finding it hard to align himself with either side due to possible ties that could prejudice him if he severed them completely.
"Mt Kenya is precise in its political passions today. There are those in government and those in opposition. Mr Nyoro is the only elected leader in Murang'a whose position is unclear. In Mt Kenya, you are either 'one-term' or 'two-term'. Mr Nyoro has not yet declared his allegiance,” he said.
Mr Okumu also mentioned that Mr Nyoro’s peers, such as the MP for Embakasi East, Mr Babu Owino, and the Nairobi Senator, Mr Edwin Sifuna, have already aligned with the opposition. He questioned why Mr Nyoro is remaining vague.
“He is trying to portray himself as the face of economic liberation by lecturing Kenyans on fiscal policies. He is also seen as a man fighting to remain relevant in the Kiharu constituency,” he said.
Some believe that the Communications Authority board chairman, Charles Karondo, is being groomed to run against Mr Nyoro in 2027.
Yet even as these groups plot to field candidates against Mr Nyoro, they are also leaving their doors wide open for him to join them.
After serving as the Kiharu Constituency Development Fund manager under MP Irungu Kang’ata, Mr Nyoro contested the seat in the 2017 general election, easily capturing it with 60,881 votes. His closest challenger was Mr Wamatangi, who received 35,181 votes.
In 2022, Mr Nyoro became the first MP to be given a second term by Kiharu voters, garnering 68,256 votes against Mr Wamatangi’s 9,425.
Mr Nyoro’s political profile gained national recognition when he endorsed Dr Ruto’s presidential bid in 2018, which was against the incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Mr Nyoro was among the Mt Kenya leaders who faced the wrath of the state as President Kenyatta tried hard to mobilise the region to withdraw its support for Dr Ruto, who was then the deputy president.
He joined forces with Mr Gachagua, Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara, Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah, Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria and Kandara MP Alice Wahome to form a caucus dubbed the 'Big Mt Kenya Six' in support of Dr Ruto.
Rigathi Gachagua publicly pleaded with Mt Kenya voters to "uplift him as your leader" and adopt him as the region's kingpin to coordinate the 2027 race.
Photo credit: File | Nation
“This is how Mr Nyoro became the subject of national debate, with critics denouncing his political bad manners and verbal attacks, while his admirers praised his decisive nature, boldness, and ability to read the mood of his supporters,” says political analyst Malila Munywoki.
“Mr Nyoro’s political star appeared to gain more spark when Dr Ruto won the presidency in 2022 and started making it appear as if he could pick the Kiharu MP as his successor,” adds Mr Munywoki.
Mr Nyoro became so prominent that his allies in Mt Kenya issued a warning to Dr Ruto through Murang'a Senator Joe Nyutu, who said: "If you are dreaming of a second term in 2027, make sure you do not pick Mr Gachagua (who was then Deputy President) as your running mate... If you want to succeed, pick Mr Nyoro."
Immediately after this warning, President Ruto unveiled a plan to impeach Mr Gachagua, which was realised in October 2024.
By the time Mr Gachagua was impeached, Mr Nyoro had fallen silent and abstained from the impeachment vote.
Mr Munywoki warns Mr Nyoro, “You need these emerging alignments more than they need you.”
“These formations have clearly indicated that they can always build an alternative Mr Nyoro both in Mt Kenya and in the national front,” he adds. “The emerging wave appears set to punish those with no stand.”
