NAIROBI, Kenya – Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro has declared his intention to run for president in the 2027 General Election but says he is prepared to back another opposition candidate if the wider opposition agrees on a single flag bearer to challenge President William Ruto.
Nyoro, who recently left the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and joined the People’s Party of Kenya (PPK), said his presidential ambitions would not prevent him from working with other opposition leaders.
Speaking during a political engagement, the Kiharu legislator said he would place his ideas before Kenyans and allow voters and opposition leaders to determine who should ultimately lead the coalition into the 2027 election.
“If our mothers who are also seeking good leadership and want to push Kenya forward look at this young man from Kiharu and decide that he has worked hard and even schools in his constituency are almost free, will there be a problem with that?” Nyoro posed.
Nyoro names potential opposition allies
The MP said he was willing to work with leaders across the opposition, regardless of their individual presidential ambitions.
He specifically mentioned Justin Muturi, Rigathi Gachagua, Fred Matiang’i, Kalonzo Musyoka and Edwin Sifuna as leaders with whom he was prepared to collaborate.
“God has given us all different leadership abilities. I will put my ideas on the table and work with Justin Muturi, Rigathi Gachagua, Fred Matiang’i, Kalonzo Musyoka, Edwin Sifuna — all of us together,” he said to cheers from his supporters.
Nyoro also invited opposition leaders to attend his political meetings and address his supporters directly.
He said he would similarly seek opportunities to address supporters at their gatherings, arguing that such exchanges would help opposition leaders understand one another and build trust ahead of the election.
Calls for one opposition candidate
A central part of Nyoro’s message was the need for the opposition to settle on one presidential candidate early enough to prevent competing candidates from splitting the anti-government vote.
He urged opposition leaders to agree on a single flag bearer by August 2027, giving the coalition sufficient time to campaign as a united political force.
“I am asking all of us in the opposition, by August next year, let us have one flag bearer. Let us not have factions here and there. Let us all sit at the table and choose one leader who will run for president,” he said.
Nyoro argued that individual ambitions should be subordinated to the broader objective of defeating the Kenya Kwanza administration.
He said opposition leaders should combine their different leadership strengths and develop a common political agenda rather than allowing competition for positions to fracture their support base.
PPK to expand beyond Kiharu
Nyoro also indicated that PPK would be used as a platform to mobilise supporters beyond his Kiharu constituency as he builds a national political network.
The MP said he would continue engaging politicians from across the opposition and would support whoever eventually emerges as the coalition’s presidential candidate.
His comments mark a significant shift from his earlier political association with President Ruto’s administration.
Nyoro was previously one of the administration’s prominent supporters and played a key role in defending government policies in Parliament.
Nyoro vows to ‘undo’ 2022 campaign work
The MP also turned his attention to areas where he campaigned for Kenya Kwanza ahead of the 2022 General Election.
He said he planned to return to regions including Wajir and Mombasa, where he previously campaigned for Ruto, to campaign against the political establishment he once supported.
“We will go to Wajir, Mombasa and other parts of the country. Kwenye kwote tulienda kuprleka wheelbarrow, tutarudi kuzitoa rangi na kung’oa miguu,” he said.
The remarks refer to the wheelbarrow symbol associated with Ruto’s 2022 campaign and signal Nyoro’s intention to reverse some of the political support he helped mobilise for Kenya Kwanza.
From government ally to opposition
Nyoro was a prominent supporter of the Kenya Kwanza administration following the 2022 election and served as chairman of the National Assembly’s Budget and Appropriations Committee.
His relationship with the government deteriorated in 2024, eventually leading to his removal from the powerful parliamentary committee.
His subsequent departure from UDA and move to PPK has placed him among the emerging opposition figures seeking to shape the political landscape ahead of 2027.
His declaration of presidential ambitions now adds another potential contender to an opposition field that includes several senior political figures.
However, Nyoro’s willingness to support another candidate if the opposition reaches a consensus could make his presidential bid part of a broader negotiation over a single opposition ticket.
With the 2027 election approaching, the ability of opposition leaders to reconcile competing ambitions and agree on a common candidate could prove critical to their strategy against Ruto.
