Excitement swept through Murang’a town after Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro announced that he was joining the opposition, with residents who had been anxious over his political position now throwing their weight behind his new direction.
Residents who had gathered to watch Nyoro’s address on a public television cheered and applauded as he declared his intention to move to the opposition, with some calling for him to help unite opposition leaders ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Waweru Kanyuku, a resident, said Nyoro’s decision had eased fears among residents who had been uncertain about where their MP stood politically after his fallout with the government.
“We were worried because we left the government early, and we felt that our young man was still in government. Now we are happy that he has joined the opposition. Now we can hear you very clearly,” Kanyuku said.
Mwai Muchiri, a resident of Murang’a town addressing journalists shortly after MP Ndindi Nyoro’s live address on August 17, 2026/ ALICE WAITHERA
He praised Nyoro for what he described as his achievements in Kiharu, particularly in education, and expressed confidence that the MP could play a bigger role in national politics.
“On education, Kiharu has been completely transformed. The issue of corruption will also be completely dealt with, and he will help Kenyans,” he said.
Kanyuku also called on Nyoro to work with other opposition figures, including Eugene Wamalwa, Edwin Sifuna and Fred Matiang’i, to forge a united political front capable of challenging President William Ruto in 2027.
“He should not leave Sifuna, Eugene and Matiang’i behind. They should sit down and talk. Let there be a united opposition so that we can defeat this man,” Kanyuku said.
He argued that Nyoro’s influence among young people, coupled with that of other opposition leaders among different generations, could help create a formidable political alliance if the leaders agreed on a single candidate.
Wilfred Maina, a businessman in Murang’a town, said residents had previously been uneasy because they could not tell which political direction their MP would take, particularly after he distanced himself from the Kenya Kwanza administration.
“We have now realised that our friend has listened to the ground and listened to us, and that he is moving in the direction of the opposition and the one-term agenda,” Maina said.
He said the decision had renewed residents’ confidence in Nyoro and pledged their support for his political party, arguing that he remained their “son” and had responded to the wishes of his constituents.
“We, as people from Kiharu, will support him because he is our son, Dede Nyoro. He is on our side, and our side is the opposition. We have been saying ‘Kasongo must go’ repeatedly, and we are very happy with what our son Dede Nyoro has said,” Maina said.
The residents’ reaction came after months of uncertainty over Nyoro’s political future, following his increasingly public criticism of the Kenya Kwanza administration and his departure from the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
In July, Nyoro announced that he had left UDA, saying the debate over whether he remained in the ruling party had been settled and that he had moved away from the government. He, however, stopped short of immediately naming his next political vehicle, saying he would consult widely before revealing his political direction.
His move came after a growing political rift with the administration, including his criticism of government policies and his removal as chairperson of the National Assembly Budget and Appropriations Committee. In the National Assembly, in May, Nyoro had also criticised what he described as an opposition that had been swallowed by government, arguing that Kenyans needed alternative voices.
The latest declaration marks a further step in Nyoro’s political realignment, although he has not indicated in the remarks provided which opposition party he will join.
Maina urged the MP to remain on the opposition path, saying residents were ready to support him as he pursued a bigger political role.
“We want to tell him to continue. We are behind him and we support him,” Maina said.
