President William Ruto’s remarks about mentoring Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro have ignited a heated debate among residents ahead of his visit to the constituency on Thursday.
During a live interview at Sagana State Lodge on Monday night, Ruto stated that he has been guiding Nyoro along with other youthful leaders like National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah.
“Leave Ndindi Nyoro to me. He’s one of the young MPs I’m currently mentoring. There are things I don’t want to disclose here… Sometimes, these young MPs I’m mentoring make mistakes here and there, but it’s my duty to guide them through,” Ruto said.
However, these sentiments have raised questions in Kiharu, where residents speculate that the President’s statement may be aimed at softening the political ground ahead of his Murang’a County visit. Many argue that Ruto’s recent political maneuvers, including the reconstitution of parliamentary committees, indicate that Nyoro is being sidelined rather than mentored.
Nyoro was removed as chairperson of the powerful Budget and Appropriations Committee last month, a move that was seen as part of a larger shake-up affecting leaders perceived to be aligned with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. This development has fueled speculation that Nyoro is no longer a key insider in the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Kamau Mutuota, a resident of Kiharu, expressed skepticism about the mentorship claim. “He’s saying he’s mentoring Nyoro maybe because he’s on a tour of the region,” he said, adding that the visit appears to be an attempt to appease Mt Kenya residents following Ruto’s fallout with Gachagua.
During the interview, Ruto denied influencing the committee changes and reiterated that MPs made the decisions independently. He emphasized that the restructuring was necessary to ensure regional balance in leadership positions.
Despite the controversy, Nyoro retains strong local support. Resident Robert Mutune pointed out that Nyoro recently revealed he had not spoken with Ruto since October 2023.
“Nyoro is our present-day Matiba. We have asked him to keep mum and continue working for us,” he said.
Hannah Wanjiru and Murathi Magochi echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing Nyoro’s contributions to Kiharu’s development and his role in Ruto’s 2022 campaign. They urged the President to shield Nyoro from political machinations, given his past sacrifices for the Kenya Kwanza government.
