NAIROBI — Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro has revealed that he was promised the position of Deputy President if he successfully rallied MPs from Murang’a County to back the impeachment of then Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Speaking to Inooro TV, Nyoro said his relationship with President William Ruto deteriorated after he declined the proposal, which he described as an attempt to influence parliamentary action with personal political incentives.
The MP said his refusal to engage in the plan led to his fallout with the president, though he maintained the rift had earlier roots.
“Even before that issue, my relationship with the president was going sour,” Nyoro said in the interview.
Nyoro further alleged that after he rejected the offer, another senior leader from Murang’a was tasked with the same responsibility — to marshal support for the impeachment motion with the same promise of ascending to the deputy president post if successful.
He did not publicly name that leader but framed the move as symptomatic of internal power plays within the Kenya Kwanza coalition.
“I decided that there is a line I could not cross,” Nyoro said saying like him, Gachagua had suffered while fighting for the election of President Ruto in 2022.
The DP’s position went to kithure Kindiki, who was then serving as Interior Cabinet Secretary.
The claims emerge against the backdrop of the impeachment of Gachagua, who was removed from office in October 2024 after the National Assembly and Senate voted to oust him on multiple charges, including abuse of office and misconduct.
Gachagua was the first Kenyan deputy president to be impeached under the 2010 Constitution.
Nyoro was once viewed as a close ally of President Ruto and had been among the influential figures within the Kenya Kwanza leadership.
His growing national profile and political ambition had seen him emerge as a notable voice ahead of the 2022 general election.
However, his stance during political manoeuvres around the impeachment — including his reported reluctance to support the motion — reportedly contributed to shifts in his political fortunes.
In March 2025, he was removed from his position as Chair of the National Assembly Budget and Appropriations Committee, a key parliamentary role, amid broader realignments within the legislature.
Nyoro has been blowing hot and cold, sending mixed signals within the Kenya Kwanza coalition.
“If you try to defend yourself on every issue, you’ll never get anything done. Let your actions speak. There’s a time for everything,” he said, responding to claims that he is a political project of President Ruto.
At times, he appears loyal to President Ruto, while at others, he openly distances himself from key party decisions.
These contradictions have fueled speculation that he might be a political project of the president, merely taking cover to consolidate influence.
Critics argue his moves are strategic, aimed at maintaining relevance ahead of the 2027 elections.
