Don't underrate Ndindi; he is the perfect Ruto political student

Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro. [George Njunge, Standard]

Mt. Kenya and the ruling party leadership should not punish Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro for harbouring higher political ambitions.

To many people, Nyoro is a true Kenyan politician and a good student of President William Ruto. Central Kenya politicians, instead of excoriating Nyoro, should instead nurture him for future national responsibilities. 

The second-term MP and youthful South Mugirango MP Silvanus Osoro, are good students of Dr Ruto who stopped at nothing to achieve his political goals.

President Ruto has never had it easy throughout his political career and has fought his way to the top, including by disobeying the orders of his bosses to achieve his political desires.

During the Kanu era when Ruto emerged in the 1980s, election winners were largely predetermined by the Kanu leadership but the young aggressive Ruto sneaked through via popular vote to win the former Eldoret South parliamentary seat.

As if to borrow a leaf from Ruto, both Osoro and Nyoro are determined to push through the thorny political bushes to ascend to higher offices. Ruto, it is said, clashed with a senior Kanu MP years back within precincts of the seat of power as they jostled for the parliamentary seat.

Come the 2010 constitutional debate that led to the referendum, Ruto didn’t succumb to pressure to support the push for a new Constitution. He set up a NO secretariat within Nairobi to rally Kenyans to reject it.

Although he lost, Ruto made his point to Kenyans that despite his lone ranger moves, he was a politician to watch. Despite President Moi disapproving of his political ambitions, Ruto remained focused and eventually achieved his dream. Ruto, despite encountering many obstacles from Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration, assembled a strong campaign team that propelled him to power.

Just like Ruto, Nyoro and Osoro have dominated headlines of late in their backyards. Nyoro has been on the receiving end for merely being mentioned as potential future Mt Kenya kingpin and Ruto’s 2027 running mate. Osoro has also been in news of late in Gusiiland for being disruptive to Governor Simba Arati’s leadership. Many believe that just like Nyoro, he harbours a higher political ambition.

Nyoro has sent shivers across the Mt Kenya region, causing Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and his backers serious discomfort. Now that the President has jumped into the supremacy contest in Central Kenya and publicly called on the UDA members to go easy on his succession, this should not give room to any political grouping to scheme to fight Nyoro politically.

Like any politician, his ambitions should not be punished but nurtured. If those in Rift Valley had been mobilised to frustrate Ruto’s big dream of becoming an MP, he wouldn’t have become president.

Nyoro too should not be cowed by the onslaught he is facing, but see it as a means to harden himself politically.

He however should heed his party boss’ warning not to undermine his deputy through premature succession talk. Nyoro should now go slow having made his intentions known and let the future determine his destiny.

Mr. Omanga is a media practitioner  [email protected]