Ndindi Nyoro says Gachagua impeachment triggered Ruto fallout, denies being Gov't mole

Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro has linked his fallout with President William Ruto to his refusal to participate in the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, saying the strained relationship deteriorated to his removal as the Chairperson of the National Assembly's Budget and Appropriations Committee.

Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV's JKLive on Wednesday night, Nyoro said he had been among President Ruto's closest political allies who had extensively campaigned for him during the 2022 General Election.

According to Nyoro, he remained loyal to the President and other leaders he worked closely with but felt that the same loyalty was not reciprocated.

“We went around the country and campaigned in the last elections. I went to hundreds of meetings and campaigned for this government and for William Ruto. We were very close, as we were with other leaders, including the then Deputy President,” Nyoro stated.

Nyoro said his severed relationship with Ruto intensified during the impeachment process against Gachagua, when he declined to append his signature. 

“The President was in New York, calling people to sign, and he realised I had not (signed). He called me and I told him, ‘Ukirudi nitakueleza.’ When he came, I told him that out of conscience, I would not get involved in the impeachment,” he stated.

The People’s Party of Kenya (PPK) explained that the impeachment eventually led to his removal as Budget Committee chairperson, before later being ejected from the committee altogether.

“It (the strained relationship) was more of a process. Then I got kicked out of the chairmanship and later on they ejected me from the committee. There was no single event where he told me that he wanted to make the committee changes because of this or that,” Nyoro remarked.

“Some colleagues were fighting, telling him, ‘You just removed Gachagua; you are now removing Ndindi.’ They used to report to me that he could tell them, ‘Huyo kijana ni kiburi kwa sababu haendi kubembeleza,’” he alleged.

Despite his fallout with the Kenya Kwanza administration, Nyoro also dismissed claims of being a government mole within the opposition. 

“It is crystal clear that we parted with this government a long time ago. I have been in the opposition. What I had not done is join octane politics,” Nyoro stated.

Further, Nyoro pointed to his public criticism of the administration over several issues, including alleged patronage and the management of strategic national resources.

“I have spoken about the President of Kenya being involved in the taking over of Turkana oil. Tell me how you would sit down with a person and they tell you, ‘Go tell Kenyans that I am taking over their oil,’ and then we have some funny arrangements?” Nyoro posed. 

“I have come and raised issues around patronage and the takeover of cement companies by the leadership of this country.”