Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu has defended Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro after the legislator launched a fresh political offensive outside President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), arguing that his emergence gives voters in Mt Kenya West an alternative ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Nyamu’s remarks came after Nyoro formally announced that he had left UDA and joined the People’s Party of Kenya (PPK), positioning himself as a new political player as alliances begin taking shape ahead of the 2027 polls.
The move has already triggered debate over whether Nyoro could challenge Ruto’s influence in Mt Kenya and nationally.
Nyoro’s departure marks a significant shift in his political journey. The Kiharu MP was previously regarded as one of Ruto’s close allies and played a prominent role in mobilising support for the President before the 2022 election.
He later became increasingly critical of aspects of the administration and was removed from the influential National Assembly Budget and Appropriations Committee after falling out with the government.
On August 17, Nyoro announced that he had joined PPK following months of consultations with opposition leaders and other political actors. He has since embarked on a grassroots mobilisation campaign and indicated that the new party intends to build a national political network ahead of the next election.
The move has attracted criticism from sections of the political class, with some opponents branding PPK a “green wheelbarrow”. It was this criticism and Nyoro’s broader political positioning that prompted Nyamu to come to his defence in a statement published on Wednesday, August 19.
“Mt Kenya West elites ni kama wanaweza pumua sasa,” Nyamu said, describing Nyoro as a graduate of what she called the “William Ruto school of politics”.
According to the nominated senator, Nyoro represents issue-based politics focused on matters affecting ordinary citizens, rather than political messaging centred exclusively on personalities.
“This man Ndindi is a graduate of the William Ruto school of politics, issue based politics that speaks to people’s lives,” she said.
Nyamu also compared Nyoro’s political treatment with that of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. She argued that both politicians had been removed from powerful positions after falling out with the establishment, using the comparison to respond to those who have labelled Nyoro a “wheelbarrow”.
“Yet the same way Rigathi was impeached is the same way Ndindi was kicked out of a powerful position for disloyalty,” she said.
The senator, however, stopped short of predicting an electoral victory for Nyoro in 2027.
“Ndindi, you can’t beat Ruto in 2027, and there’s no harm in trying,” Nyamu said, while acknowledging that his political journey could have significance beyond the next election.
She said she would closely watch how Nyoro conducts his campaign, handles criticism and avoids being pulled into the type of personality-driven politics he is seeking to challenge.
Nyamu ultimately argued that Nyoro’s emergence gives Mt Kenya West voters another political choice.
“At least sasa Mt Kenya West mko na mtu anataka kuwaambia mnaenda wapi, sio tu nani aende,” she said.
Nyoro’s next challenge will be to turn the PPK launch into a sustainable grassroots movement while navigating competition from established opposition figures and Ruto’s continued influence in the region.
His planned political mobilisation will therefore be closely watched as Kenya’s 2027 political alignments take shape.