Ndindi Nyoro: Lone ranger or pragmatic politician?
Lawmaker did not take part in the impeachment proceedings against Gachagua in October 2024 and neither did he join him in the aftermath of his ouster like most of his colleagues from the Mountain region
Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro has left many wondering what he is up his sleeves after parting ways with President William Ruto and refusing to join the bandwagon of opposition politicians led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
The two-term parliamentarian, once a close ally of the President, was among a number of MPs from Central Kenya who underwent a purge from parliamentary leadership positions in March when he was stripped of his chairmanship position in the powerful Budget and Appropriations Committee of the National Assembly.
Nyoro has since taken a hardline anti-Ruto stance where he remains fiercely critical of the Kenya Kwanza administration’s policies, a stark deviation from the one-time tough proponent and defender of the same regime.
He has particulaly been critical of the recent hike in pump fuel prices, claiming the government used the Sh7 fuel levy imposed last year as collateral to borrow Sh175 billion, which it denies.
The MP was also critical of the listing of Talanta Infrastructure Bond worth Sh44.4 billion on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) to generate funds for the construction of the Talanta City Stadium in readiness for the hosting of the 2027 AFCON.
He said the move will push the country into a debt and fiscal cliff with Kenyans eventually paying Sh100 billion on interest alone.
Nyoro also took a swipe at the KK government handling of schools capitation, warning that the prolonged funding delays were pushing educational institutions and the entire sector to the edge.
“The President is trying to absolve himself by saying he supports free education. What we are telling you is; don’t tell us, just send the money,” he said during a school function in his Kiharu constituency recently.
The consistent criticism is believed to have influenced the decision to remove him from the Budget and Appropriations Committee as a member altogether and instead shifted to the Diaspora Affairs and Migrant Workers Committe.
It is noteworthy that the lawmaker did not take part in the impeachment proceedings against Gachagua in October 2024 and neither did he join him in the aftermath of his ouster like most of his colleagues from the Mountain region, leaving observers wondering whether he is a lone ranger or he is playing political pragmatism.
Flashback to 2023, Nyoro had assumed a larger-than-life role in which he used to criss-cross the country, hopping in choppers to preside over fundraisers particularly in the Rift Valley in the company of Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi and other political powermen in President Ruto’s inner circles.
At that time, there was speculation that he was being groomed to replace Gachagua as the country’s second in command which, however, never came to pass after Kithure Kindiki was appointed Deputy President instead.
The youthful Nyoro is touted as one of the best performing MPs in the 13th Parliament, having been declared the best in National Government-Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) management twice in a row.
He has been consistently recognized for his efficient management of the NG-CDF and his labour-based constituency development model that has become a benchmark for other MPs in the country.
This model emphasizes community involvement in project implementation, ensuring transparency, cost-effectiveness and creation of jobs for locals.
In 2024, Nyoro launched the “Masomo Bora” program aimed at easing financial constraints on parents and enhancing educational opportunities for students in Kiharu Constituency.
Through the initiative, students are required to pay only Sh1,000 per term, significantly alleviating the financial burden on families and reducing school dropout rates. The program covers all expenses for students in selected schools, including the provision of school uniforms.
The legislator has accused the government of eroding public trust in free education through contradictory statements and political manoeuvres.
“It is appalling to see people in the same government giving different statements on the same topic. Even if it’s a lie, you should have come together to at least harmonize the lie,” he said.
He was referring to statements by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi that there were no sufficient funds for free education which was later disputed by President Ruto, who maintained that the government would not renege on the free education program.
Nyoro urged the government to clear all arrears owed to schools without further delay, warning that failure to do so could result in severe consequences for students and the entire education sector.
“The government cannot shift the blame to any other institution – it is the one that makes policy and budgets. The buck stops with the executive,” he added.
The MP noted that while schools are grappling with rising operational costs, the government continues to allocate large sums to political functions and other non-essential expenditures.
“Remove the allocations from those many areas – like these renovations, like the confidential fund. Remove the money for political management that we are seeing people spend every weekend – direct that money to capitation,” he stated.
It remains to be seen whether the member for Kiharu will go it alone as an independent contender come the 2027 elections or will join the political formations to seek a third term in Parliament.
There has been widespread speculation that Nyoro may also take a shot at the Murang’a governorship seat currently held by Governor Irungu Kang’ata, riding on his development track record.
Should he throw in his hat, then the contest would be a battle of the titans, pitting him against Kang’ata and former Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau who has aligned himself with Gachagua.
