Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro. Photo/The Standard
By Wanderi Kamau
On Thursday, March 21, 2025, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro was conspicuously absent from a high-level State House meeting convened by President William Ruto for all Mount Kenya legislators.
Despite receiving a formal invitation alongside other MPs from the region, Nyoro chose to boycott the event, signaling a growing rift between him and the president.
A fallout in the making
Nyoro’s absence did not come as a complete surprise to political observers. The first signs of discord emerged earlier when senior government officials failed to attend the grand opening of his constituency office in Kiharu, Murang’a.
Read more:What next for Ndindi Nyoro?
Sources close to the lawmaker told Newsflash that his recent removal from the influential National Assembly Budget and Appropriations Committee played a key role in his decision to skip the meeting.
A political insider, who spoke to Newsflash on condition of anonymity, revealed, “Ndindi Nyoro has been sidelined in recent government affairs. His removal from the Budget Committee was not an isolated event but part of a broader strategy to weaken his influence in the Ruto administration.”
A calculated political move?
Nyoro has long been regarded as a key ally of President Ruto, having been one of his most vocal campaigners under the ‘Tanga Tanga’ faction between 2018 and 2022. However, recent political shifts in Mount Kenya seem to be forcing him to reconsider his alliances.
“Being silent does not mean I am a coward,” Nyoro remarked on Friday, in what many interpreted as an open declaration of his discontent with the Ruto administration.
Political analysts believe his boycott of the State House meeting was a calculated move to distance himself from Ruto while subtly aligning with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, whose influence in the region is growing.
Mt Kenya’s shifting political terrain
The political landscape in Mount Kenya has changed significantly since the 2022 elections. President Ruto, who once enjoyed overwhelming support in the region, is now facing growing resistance.
Reports indicate that Nyoro is among a handful of Mount Kenya leaders who plan to boycott Ruto’s upcoming regional tour, scheduled to begin on March 31, 2025. The president is set to visit all Mount Kenya counties, including Kiambu, Murang’a, Nyeri, Nyandarua, Nakuru, and Kirinyaga, in an effort to consolidate his waning support.
However, sources within the region suggest that a pro-Gachagua wave is gaining traction, with many MPs now gravitating towards the former Deputy President. Nyoro appears to be positioning himself as part of this movement, likely in anticipation of the 2027 elections.
A political commentator, James Muthama, noted, “It is evident that the removal of Ndindi Nyoro from the Budget Committee was orchestrated by William Ruto. The move weakened him within Parliament and sent a clear message that he was no longer in the president’s inner circle. Nyoro has read the political mood in Mount Kenya and understands that his future lies with the Gachagua camp.”
Nyoro’s future political ambitions
Nyoro’s absence from the State House meeting and his reluctance to join Ruto’s Mount Kenya tour suggest he is strategically laying the groundwork for his political future. With whispers of Gachagua emerging as a possible kingpin for the region, Nyoro could be aligning himself with the deputy president in anticipation of the next electoral cycle.
Read more:Ichung’wah: Ndindi favoured Kiharu in budget allocations
Moreover, his refusal to engage with the Ruto administration publicly signals that he may be testing the waters for a bigger political role, potentially as a gubernatorial or senatorial candidate in 2027. By distancing himself from the president now, Nyoro could be setting himself up as a leading figure in the anticipated post-Ruto realignment within the region.
What next for Ruto and Nyoro?
As Ruto embarks on his Mount Kenya tour, all eyes will be on the political maneuvering of key regional leaders. If Nyoro and other dissenting MPs continue their boycott, it could signal deeper fractures within the ruling coalition.
For now, Nyoro’s absence from the State House meeting remains a bold statement of defiance and an indication that the political dynamics in Mount Kenya are far from settled.
