Gachagua, Nyoro reignite battle for political control of Mt Kenya ahead of 2027

The frosty political relationship between former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro has resurfaced as the two engage in a no holds barred confrontation over the political influence in the Mt Kenya region.

Once political bosom buddies who talked positively about each other as they campaigned for President William Ruto,with Gachagua at one time seeking refuge in Nyoro’s home when he was sought by the police, the two later fell out once they joined Ruto's government.

During his tenure as the Deputy President, Gachagua accused Nyoro of being used by Ruto’s allies to undermine his authority when the MP in January 2024 mobilised over 15 MPs to declare that their link to the President was Nyoro and not Gachagua.

The MPs including Edward Muriu (Gatanga) Murang'a Senator Joe Nyutu Betty Maina (Muranga) Elijah Kururia (Gatundu North) among others at the time piled pressure on Ruto to replace Gachagua with Nyoro as his second in command in 2027 if he needed the Mt Kenya region support for his re-election

The leaders claimed Muranga had been sidestepped by Kiambu and Nyeri counties, a debate that has elicited mixed reactions from other counties in the larger Mt Kenya region.

“Kiambu has produced two Presidents, a Prime Minister and a Deputy Prime Minister, while Nyeri has produced a President for two terms, a Vice President and a Deputy President, it is our time to lead the country,” Muriu said two years ago in an event where Nyoro was the chief guest.

Nyutu who has since shifted allegiance to Gachagua, claimed then that Nyoro was ripe for leadership and the electorate would forgive Rutoi electorate if he chose Nyoro as his running mate as opposed to ‘Gachagua’s divisive agenda that might negatively impact his chances in the region’.

 “Mount Kenya can’t afford to be in the hands of a condescending leader who goes about disparaging leaders;’ names to higher authorities, " Nyutu claimed.

He even claimed that the running mate position should be subjected to a nomination process without the President appointing his favorite.

On his part, Muriu who has also become Gachagua’s loyalist said “women of Murang’a also give birth to leaders, and Nyoro is qualified enough to deputize Ruto and become a leader," Muriu affirmed saying many leaders are supporting Nyoro as a potential candidate for the position.

The MP could trot around the country with choppers where he represented the President as he carried millions of money. For example, he attended the launch of Kokane Gobo Secondary school in Garsen County and donated Sh2 million.

It took Ruto’s attention to contain their rivalry after publicly urging the young leaders to tame their ambitions, a move that saw Nyoro stop his political tours across the country.

With the two leaders are now in the trenches as the party leaders, their political rivalry is back in the public limelight.

Following Gachagua’s allegations that President Ruto had dished millions of money to divide Mt Kenya East and Mt Kenya West, Nyoro came out gun blazing challenging him to face him directly instead of fueling political propaganda and proxy attack.

Speaking in The United States, Gachagua without mentioning names, claimed Ruto had given a politician Sh200 million to divide Mt Kenya West while instructing a Cabinet Secretary to carry out a similar assignment in Mt Kenya East.

In response Nyoro told Gachagua and his allies to name him and his political party directly rather than engaging in proxy attacks

Nyoro said he had supported Gachagua unconditionally in his bid to become Deputy President in 2022 and had also refused to participate in the 2024 impeachment motion against him.

The MP however accused Gachagua of making him the focus of his politics claiming he had mistaken the respect he has shown him over the years for weakness or fear.

“Mention the People’s Party by name and mention Ndindi Nyoro. I will meet with you face to face. Mtu tangu awali kampeni zake na siasa, Ndindi Nyoro has been supporting him,” Nyoro said.

“Ndindi Nyoro has supported you in everything you have done. During the running-mate selection, we were four. Ndindi Nyoro was among those people, and I voted for him, and that is how he landed the role.”

Nyoro added that he did not participate in Gachagua’s impeachment process in 2024, despite the two having been on bad terms at the time.

“During the impeachment, Ndindi Nyoro never participated, and during that time we were not on good terms, and you know why,” he said.

He also responded to claims attributed to Gachagua that he had been given Sh200 million to destroy Gachagua’s Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) in the Mt Kenya region.

Nyoro dismissed the claim, saying that if Gachagua himself needed such money, he should return to President William Ruto and seek it instead of involving him.

He further said the People’s Party would only work with opposition leaders who were willing to cooperate, adding that those who were unwilling to work together should be left alone.

Political analysts maintain that Nyoro’s political confrontation with Gachagua may have far reaching consequences on his political future, especially due to a political hiatus from Gachagua’s impeachment, his decision to keep off Parliament during a crucial vote for the Finance Bill and his last decision to form a political party at a time the region seems to have aligned with Gachagua’s DCP party

According to Joseph Kagiri, a political analyst and Kieni politician, the MP had done a stellar performance as a legislator but his decision to stand on the fence for a long time was his biggest undoing

“He will have to keep fighting the mole tag because it was him who drafted the most controversial Finance bill 2024 that left hundreds of Gen Z youths dead and it was Nyoro who was the chairperson of the Budget committee, he also avoided Parliament when he needed most to oppose the Finance Bill 2025-2026 and kept off during Gachagua’s impeachment which will be a key factor in 2027 general election in Mt Kenya region,” Kagiri said

He said as a result, the MP will continue battling trust issues in his region opining that it could explain why his party had not attracted a single elected MP.

Kagiri also reflected Ruto’s remarks in April last year during a media interview at Sagana State Lodge when he termed the MP as his political mentee.

 “Leave Ndindi Nyoro to me. He is among the young MPs I am currently nurturing. There are certain things I would rather not disclose here, but rest assured, I have a plan for him. These young leaders I am mentoring are bound to make errors here and there, but as a leader, it is my duty to steer them in the right direction. That is why I repeat, leave them to me," the President said.

According to Dr Kamau Wairuri, a political scientist and a policy-oriented researcher noted that while Nyoro’s decision to form his party may directly have been informed by Ruto’s decision to divide the Mt Kenya region, the unintended consequence will be to Ruto’s advantage.

He maintained that despite the MP assuming the leadership of the PPK he had not formally informed Kenyans of his intentions of vying for President, a move he said caused further confusion within the Opposition

“All other Opposition leaders have announced that they are vying for the presidency but Nyoro has not formally announced. These are the fears that inform some of us to think that Ruto could have a hand in his intentions,’ Dr Wairuri said.

Gachagua’s allies such as Kiambu Senator Karungo Wa Thangwa, termed Nyoro leader a creation of the State meant to dismantle the opposition.

“Ndindi Nyoro is the designated deputy president of William Ruto. Wait and see in 2027; only time will prove me right. He is Ruto’s project.”

Nyoro’s ally, Joshua Githinji, a political analyst, claimed a section of DCP leaders were up in arms since the PPK party would antagonize the wave that the leaders hoped to ride on for reelection despite them not working for the electorate

“Some leaders had not performed and were hoping to hang on DCP’s wave for re-election but with PPK’s entry, they have nowhere to hide.

However, People's Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has waded into the DCP-PPK wars, calling on the DCP leaders to stop pointing fingers at Nyoro as they too belonged to Ruto’s political camp but were ushered into the Opposition.

“They should allow Nyoro and all others to join the Opposition. We are ready to usher them and even slaughter them. Don’t close the door that was once opened for you, if their coming is suspicious, their actions will betray them. Even those of us in the Opposition, our actions will speak for us. If we are looking for good governance and democratic values, let us not slam the brakes on multi-party democracy,” she said.