By Anderson Ojwang

The once glittering and promising political career of Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro has been put on the cross, and now he is forced to fight for his political survival.

Ndindi, once viewed by Mt Kenya as the modern opposition leader, the late Kenneth Matiba, with a promising political future, currently finds himself boxed into a tight corner.

Matiba was not only a respected political leader in Mt Kenya but nationally for his contribution to the constitutional dispensation and leadership credentials in the country.

Ndindi had emerged as a possible heir apparent to Matiba and was already endearing himself not only to Mt Kenya but nationally through his brand of politics.

But last Thursday, the skipping of the National Assembly vote on the Finance Bill, of which he had become vocal, abruptly pushed him into a tight political spot which threatens to consume him.

According to former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria, in his recent tweet, said Ndindi finds himself where he could:

“Either you are finished completely or you are completely finished.”

Kuria said Ndindi found himself at the exact place where former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and the self-declared leader of Mt Kenya wanted him to be – at his mercy.

He wrote on X handle: “My brother Ndindi Nyoro, I warned you, Rigathi will finish you. He has you where he wanted. Today even saying Wantam will not save you unless you limit your ambitions to being organising secretary of DCP Kiharu branch and your boss will be one Kifeeti. Either you are finished completely or you are completely finished. What a sad day for our modern Matiba. Pole sana. At least I warned you.”

The pregnant tweet shows the gravity of the matter and the dark political clouds hovering over the head of the Kiharu MP.

This could partly explain why Ndindi invited the media for a press briefing last Saturday where he apologised to Kenyans over skipping the Finance Bill vote.

Nyoro said some of his political opponents were using the matter to advance their own political interests but he would not be deterred in his political move.

“I want to take this very first opportunity to apologise to Kenyans for the disappointment I caused them last week during the Finance Bill vote on Thursday of last week. It is not the way I do things. Nlikosea hapo,” he said.

He went ahead to qualify his contribution, saying: “I have been trying to do as much as possible when it comes to governance in this country and also, especially anything to do with public finances.”

Ndindi did not stop at the apology; he went on to say that he was not supporting the government of President William Ruto despite having campaigned for it.

“My divergent view was one of the reasons why I lost my seat as the chairman of the Budget Committee. I am not on the side of the government,” he said at the conference.

But Gachagua had posted on his social media platforms that the Finance Bill vote would determine the political battle line.

“Today’s vote at the National Assembly for or against the 2026 Finance Bill is a defining moment for the people of the Republic of Kenya. At the end of the day, the people of Kenya will know whether their elected representative supports measures that oppress them more or cares for them.”

Gachagua had directed MPs from Mt Kenya allied to his DCP party to vote against the Finance Bill 2026 and stay in the House to force a division.

“The people of Kenya must know who was for or against them. Those members who keep away from the vote and sit on the fence must be deemed to be against the people of Kenya,” he said.

He said there was no neutral position when the welfare of the people of Kenya was at stake, and the MPs were either for the people of Kenya or against them.

Ndindi explained why he skipped the vote, saying he had travelled out of the country on the eve of the vote.

He wrote on his social media platforms, firstly seeking peace and requesting room to be understood.

“Wadosi Wakenya Wote, I come in peace and humility. The vote for the Finance Bill happened yesterday; disappointingly, I was not in Parliament. I travelled out of the country on Wednesday evening for engagements that could not have been postponed. But no explanation should absolve the blame,” he wrote.

He said the feedback would be a milestone in helping serve the country and that nobody was perfect.

“As human as we are, we are far from being perfect, and we will always seek to learn from the feedback we receive. As for the feedback we have received from all Kenyans, we take it with humility. All the feedback will go a long way in making us better as we discharge our duties in Parliament and outside in service to the great people of Kenya,” he wrote.

Reflections

Ndindi requested Kenyans for three to four weeks for reflection before he could give his next political move.

He denied claims that he could be a mole, saying he has been critical of President Ruto’s regime on various economic issues.

“I ask Kenyans to give me between three and four weeks to announce the political direction I intend to take after months of reflection on the country’s future and leadership,” he said.

Stay strong

In Kuria’s earlier post, he told Ndindi to remain focused and not fall to Gachagua’s butcher’s knife.

“To my brother Ndindi Nyoro, now the self-righteous cult has come with their daggers drawn for you. They say you let them down on the Finance Bill. They now want to extinguish your political career,” he wrote.

Kuria said on several occasions he had warned Ndindi to be wary of Gachagua’s schemes to be the sole political leader in Mt Kenya.

“I have warned you many times that Rigathi Gachagua will not rest until he extinguishes all other political actors in the Mt Kenya region. Relax, brother, you and I will not be the losers; sadly, it is our people. Keep your focus, and one day you will finish the journey that brave Matiba did not finish but General Mwai Kibaki accomplished,” he wrote.

For the next three weeks, Kenyans will be watching as Ndindi carries his cross and redeems his political career.

By Habil Onyango

With less than 15 months to the next general elections, several aspiring candidates have already started their campaigns.

Some governors in their first term and the President are working to woo voters for re-election, while others, without term limits, are fighting to keep their current seats or aiming for higher offices.

In Homa Bay, Governor Gladys Wanga, who served as the Woman Representative for 10 years before being elected as County Governor in 2022, is leaving no stone unturned in her bid to retain her seat.

She already has the support of former Suba South MP and current Finance Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, along with several other leaders, for her re-election.

However, her former Deputy Governor, Joseph Oyugi Magwanga, is already working to ensure that Wanga becomes a one-term governor.

Magwanga resigned from the position in February 2026, citing what he described as persistent issues due to irreconcilable differences with Wanga.

Magwanga, who served as the MP for Kasipul Kabondo for five years and later Kasipul for another ten years, said he could not allow his good Curriculum Vitae (CV) to be tarnished by a few individuals at the County Government due to poor leadership.

“I served as a Member of Parliament for ten good years before resigning from the County DG position, and the records I left there are incredible,” said Magwanga.

According to Magwanga, during their campaigns with the former ODM party leader Raila Odinga, they made several promises to the people of Homa Bay; however, he realised that their implementation was not done transparently.

“During the campaigns together with Wanga, we had a manifesto which is the contract we signed with the voters, and after realising it was not being implemented properly, I decided to leave,” he said.

“We promised our people clean drinking water, good roads, sufficient drugs in hospitals, money for our women, food for our vulnerable children, proper medication, and payment for contractors, all to be done transparently, but I saw these were not being achieved,” he added.

Magwanga contested the 2017 Homa Bay Governor position against former County CEO Cyprian Awiti.

Awiti was declared the winner by the Supreme Court in 2019 after the High Court and the Court of Appeal nullified Awiti’s re-election.

“In Homa Bay County, I am one of the senior politicians, having served from 2007 to 2017 as an MP before contesting for the top county seat in the 2017 general elections, a decision that was ultimately decided by the Supreme Court,” he said.

Why I am the best for Homa Bay

The former Kasipul MP was regarded as one of the best-performing Members of Parliament for his transparent management of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), leading the region in service delivery and pioneering the purchase of school buses using CDF.

Furthermore, Magwanga said he increased the number of hospitals from 13 to 45, reduced mud classrooms from 600 to 20, and improved secondary school performance in the constituency.

Magwanga stated he chose to run for Governor to replicate his achievements in Kasipul and Kabondo Kasipul for all residents of Homa Bay, and he is eager to take up the mantle.

He reflected that during his ten years as an MP, he heavily invested in local infrastructure, including electricity connections, which he increased from 10 percent coverage to 86.4 percent.

“The experience and development record I left in Kasipul speaks for itself and puts me in a good position to lead and develop the county. While serving as the Kabondo Kasipul MP, I was rated as the third-best legislator for transparent CDF management out of 210, and in Kasipul, I was ranked first out of 290 constituencies. After all this, I understand what government funds can do for our people. The small Ksh77 million I received was spent wisely, and I have never been accused of misappropriation,” he said.

He criticised some politicians seeking leadership positions, claiming they pursue power not to help citizens but to “eat.”

Support from MCAs

Magwanga already has backing from several Members of the County Assembly in his bid for the county’s top seat.

Supporting him are Jeff Ongoro of Kanyaluo Ward, who was removed from the Budget Committee after disagreements with the house leadership; Tom Adinda of Kendu Bay Town; Victor Okoth of Kaksingri West; Vickins Bondo of West Kasipul; Apopo Lentana of Kanyadoto; Milka Oron; Pauline Oyoo; and Dan Ogada, all specially elected.

On Friday, June 26, 2026, the rebel MCAs gave Wanga’s government a seven-day notice to explain how they have used county resources since their election, focusing on ward-based and flagship projects.

They threatened to involve the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, the Auditor General, the Senate, and other independent agencies to investigate what they called “misuse of public funds.”

Ongoro pointed out that the Ksh500 million Riwa Industrial Park, shared equally between the national and county governments at Ksh250 million each, was only 37 percent complete despite all funds being disbursed.

“We allocated these funds in the 2023/2024 financial year and were the first county to start construction, which has since stalled. Other counties have completed similar projects; where is our money?” they demanded.

Ongoro also mentioned the stalled Omboga Hospital theatre, allocated Ksh15 million, and the Maternity and Newborn Wing at Got Kojowi in Ndhiwa, which remains unfinished.

“Let the Governor come out and tell the people of Homa Bay where their money is and why most facilities have stalled, as well as the status of ward-based projects,” he said.

Despite these issues, the MCAs unanimously agreed to support Magwanga’s bid for the governorship.

By Anderson Ojwang

Last Thursday’s Gen Z anniversary opened Kenyans to the debate on whether former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is an opportunist and a coward altogether.

The self-proclaimed grandchild of Mau Mau, truthful man, and Mt Kenya leader failed to show up during the anniversary, claiming a plot to assassinate him.

But despite the claims, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Siaya Governor James Orengo, former Chief Justice David Maraga, and opposition leader Martha Karua braved and joined the Gen Z at the anniversary.

For Gachagua, still on his 45-day conclave, he stayed at Wamunyoro, looking forward to either white or black smoke at the elapse of the political conclave.

Ahead of Thursday’s anniversary, Gachagua claimed there was a plot to assassinate him and instead remained locked in his Wamunyoro home.

“Since I was targeted for assassination then by this killer squad in church, I am apprehensive; probably Mr. Kipchumba Murkomen and DIG Lagat have instructed them to proceed to Wamunyoro and complete the job they failed to do in January. In whatever situation, God is in control,” he wrote.

Interestingly, a hard-hitting and biting Internal Security Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen yesterday labelled Gachagua as a coward and opportunist.

“Gachagua wants to take credit for everything in the world. If he sees anything succeed, he takes credit,” he said.

Murkomen said the reason why Gachagua fears him is because he understands and knows him better and how to deal with him.

Locked up

Murkomen said the government foiled Gachagua’s plot to use goons to cause chaos in the country and subsequently locked his way out from Wamunyoro home.

“This Gachagua, we are tired. It is enough. Recently, he was organising goons in Kayole, Eastlands, and Thika Road. Because I know Gachagua, we locked him, and he stayed at his Wamunyoro home. He knows the truth,” he said.

The CS said the government was prepared and ready to arrest Gachagua over the use of goons to cause chaos.

“The statement he was making, that assassination, he knew officers were monitoring him about the goons he was organising, and we would have arrested him if he had come out of his house. That day, the DCI and police arrested all the criminals, more than 300, and after the arrest, he was deflated and could do nothing. Then he comes to say, ‘I told people not to go to the demos,'” he said.

But Gachagua claimed he had credible information from patriotic police officers who tipped him off about the plans by Mr Murkomen to use goons to harm Kenyans and destroy property.

“I plead with the people of Kenya to stay alive, stay safe, and register as voters, for we all have a date with destiny to liberate our country on 10th August next year. We shall liberate our country through the mechanism provided for by our Constitution: the ballot. Whenever they plan violence against innocent Kenyans, we must keep away and call them out. I sincerely thank my dear sons and daughters, the Gen Zs, for heeding my plea to avoid death and injury. They had planned to harm you in a big magnitude today,” he wrote.

Gachagua a coward?

Murkomen claimed that Gachagua was a coward who hides under the bed when others are out protesting.

“I know Gachagua is the father of violence in our country. I know he is a coward. That is why I know how to deal with him. Have you ever seen Gachagua go to any demos? Have you seen him in any protests? He sits back and sends people’s children. Ask him to try to come to the streets,” he said.

But Gachagua said his move was a tactical strategy to forestall deaths and destruction of properties.

“To the Gen Zs, please know that tactical retreat is not surrender but strategy. Let them know that caution is not cowardice but wisdom. I am humbled that Kenyans trusted my judgement, believed I am a truthful and honest man, and that I do care for their welfare and that I value human life and human dignity,” he wrote.

A pretender

The CS labelled Gachagua as a false pretender to the throne, who claimed to have taken over the leadership from the late Raila Odinga while he hides in his bedroom when others were on the streets.

“He is pretending that he has taken over and he is like Tinga, the late Raila Amolo Odinga. You cannot be Tinga,” he said.

Murkomen said Gachagua was not comparable to Raila, who at 80 braved teargas while the former DP hid in his home.

“Tinga at 80 years was on the forefront leading despite being teargassed. You have not left your house. You went to hide under the bed, and you ask your wife, Mama Dorcas, to look outside if it is safe. What kind of a man are you?” he said.

Gachagua thanked Kenyans for remaining peaceful and promised President William Ruto a date at the ballot.

“Many thanks to the millions of Kenyans for heeding my request to stay at home to avoid death and injury. Thank you, parents, for accepting my request to keep your children out of harm’s way. To the professional police officers who acted with restraint and refrained from shooting the protesters whose pain was too much to bear and showed up on our streets, towns, and cities to express themselves,” he wrote.

King of Mt Kenya

Gachagua, after his impeachment, retreated to Mt Kenya, declared himself the leader of the Murima, and formed his DCP party. In Mt Kenya, a section of leaders have accused him of self-imposition and being an opportunist.

The question, therefore: will “mtu wa mtego” one day lead the protests amid fumes of teargas, or will he command from the confines of Wamunyoro?

Is he an opportunist who is at the right place and at the right time?