NAIROBI, Kenya- National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah has thrown his weight behind Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro’s ambitions for national leadership, signalling growing support within Mt Kenya for the youthful lawmaker.
Ichung’wah, a close ally of President William Ruto and Kikuyu MP, said it was time for Murang’a County to produce a leader capable of taking a prominent position in Kenya’s national politics.
His remarks come as Nyoro steps up his political mobilisation after leaving the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and joining the People’s Party of Kenya (PPK), a move that has intensified speculation about his plans for the 2027 presidential contest.
Nyoro has already announced plans to take his new political vehicle across the country, beginning with a tour of Murang’a. His departure from UDA has marked a major shift for a politician who was previously regarded as one of Ruto’s most influential allies.
Ichung’wah’s endorsement is particularly significant because of his close association with the President and his position as Majority Leader in the National Assembly.
The Kikuyu MP’s latest remarks also represent a notable change in tone towards Nyoro. Just days earlier, Ichung’wah publicly challenged the Kiharu MP to resign his parliamentary seat and seek a fresh mandate after leaving UDA.
Speaking in Parliament on August 19, Ichung’wah invoked the example of the late opposition leader Raila Odinga, who resigned his Lang’ata parliamentary seat after leaving FORD-Kenya in 1994 and sought a fresh mandate under the National Development Party.
The two politicians have also clashed publicly in recent months, including over economic and political issues. Parliamentary records show Ichung’wah referring to Nyoro as his “brother” during debates, while challenging some of his positions.
Nyoro’s emergence as a potential presidential contender is not new. In January 2024, a group of MPs endorsed him as a possible successor to Ruto in 2032, while Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu argued that Nyoro could help Ruto retain support in the Mt Kenya region.
The latest endorsement comes at a politically sensitive moment for Murang’a and the wider Mt Kenya region. Governor Irungu Kang’ata recently announced that he would not seek another term on a UDA ticket, while also saying he had no presidential or deputy presidential ambitions.
Nyoro’s decision to establish himself outside UDA has nevertheless given fresh momentum to discussions about the region’s post-Ruto political future.
For Ichung’wah, backing Nyoro could also signal a broader recognition that political leadership within Mt Kenya is likely to undergo significant change before the 2027 elections.
Nyoro, who represents Kiharu, has cultivated a strong profile among younger voters and previously chaired Parliament’s Budget and Appropriations Committee. His political journey has put him at the centre of debates over who could emerge as the region’s next national political standard-bearer.
The endorsement from Ichung’wah therefore adds a new dimension to the succession debate, particularly given his long-standing position within Ruto’s political camp.
It also raises questions about whether sections of the President’s political establishment are beginning to accommodate Nyoro’s ambitions even as he charts an independent political path.
With Nyoro now preparing to take his party to the grassroots, the contest for influence in Mt Kenya and particularly Murang’a is likely to become increasingly prominent as the 2027 elections approach.
