Ndindi's new political gamble and how he shot himself in the foot

Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, who has ambitions for the highest office, announced that he had quit President William Ruto’s UDA to take a shot at opposition politics by leading a small political party, People's Party of Kenya (PPK). He imagines himself to be a revived Kenneth Matiba, former Kiharu MP who dared and took risks that included climbing the tallest mountains in the world and in approaching politics differently. But unlike Matiba, Ndindi appears to prevaricate and ‘play safe’ instead of taking positions of principle. By prevaricating, Ndindi depleted his initial political capital while watching Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna harvest youthful public support by championing what worried people.

Ndindi was part of the Ruto ‘new wave’ politicians who in 2017 swept the Jubilee primaries, along with his CDF boss Irungu Kang’ata, to romp to victory. As Kang’ata replaced Kembi Gitura as Murang’a Senator, Ndindi inherited Kang’ata’s Kiharu seat, thereby making the two a formidable team of Murang’a performers. They attracted national attention and showed their political independence by campaigning for Ruto in 2022 against President Uhuru Kenyatta’s support for Raila Odinga. Having warned Uhuru in a letter that the political tide was against his (Uhuru's) wishes, Kang’ata acquired the title of ‘Kang’ata wa Barua’ and became governor of Murang’a using Ruto’s UDA banner. Ndindi, besides retaining his Kiharu seat, became Chairman of the Parliamentary Budget Committee.

The test of political mettle for the two came during the internal unravelling of the Ruto government due to bad policy decisions that perceptibly hurt, instead of protecting Kenya’s national interests. In the same way that voters had turned against the Uhuru policies of appearing to be insensitive to public concerns and giving in to whatever Raila wanted, voters similarly turned against Ruto when he appeared to turn against his voters to embrace and reward the Raila brigade. People expressed their unhappiness in different ways, watching their ‘leaders’, many eyes focused on the Murang’a Two, with special gawk on Ndindi’s national promise; he disappointed.

Two developments seemingly confused Ndindi, who had been seen as 'Murang’a’s national potential'. First, he reportedly received Deputy President (DP) Rigathi Gachagua’s wrath for not heeding the DP demands that other leaders within Mount Kenya region accept his leadership. Second, government insensitivities to public grievances led to the 2024 Gen Z uprising which created political occasion for Ruto and Raila to join hands in getting rid of Gachagua through impeachment. It enabled Ruto to appoint Raila's followers while dumping presumed Gachagua people. Watching to see which way in the evolving developments Ndindi would go, people found him to be wanting.

As Ndindi appeared to be ‘cleaver’, avoiding the vote on critical issues that affect the public, Gachagua apologised for his previous errors and his influence rose instead of diminishing. Such reality persuaded other politicians, including Kang’ata, to jump into Gachagua’s train, away from Ruto’s sinking UDA ship. Ndindi did not look good in part because of claims that he received Ruto boosting and had hoped to be appointed DP. His reluctance to take positions of principle fed into the belief that he was Ruto ‘project’. His ‘removal’ from the chairmanship of the budget committee looked suspicious either as a political ploy or as growing evidence that Ruto devours his own. To counter such negative beliefs about his willingness to front for Ruto, Ndindi started issuing statements about national economic mismanagement. They, however, lacked the political punch in Gachagua’s statements about ‘Kasongo’.

Ndindi’s indecisiveness on crucial matters of national concern undermined his political promise. Whether it was on Gen Z protests over taxation or on the unfair Gachagua impeachment, he failed the accountability test when it mattered. His reasons for letting the people down sounded lame. In contrast, Sifuna won a large following by standing with the Gen Zs and urging ‘leaders’ not to run away from tear gas. With critics tagging him Ruto’s project to divide the votes, Ndindi quitting UDA looks suspicious. He lacks Matiba’s verve.