Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro has disclosed that his decision to abstain from the October 2024 impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was driven by personal conscience and a lack of political wisdom behind the motion.
Speaking during an interview, Nyoro addressed his long-standing silence regarding the high-profile ouster, revealing that his refusal to participate ultimately triggered his bitter fallout with President William Ruto and his subsequent removal as Chairperson of the National Assembly Budget and Appropriations Committee.
Nyoro explained that when the Kenya Kwanza leadership mobilized lawmakers to sign the impeachment motion, he deliberately refused to append his signature. He recounted a phone conversation with President Ruto, who was attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York at the time.
“The President was in New York, calling people to sign, and he realized I had not signed,” Nyoro stated. “He called me and I told him, ‘Ukirudi nitakueleza’ (When you return, I will explain to you). When he came back, I told him that out of conscience, not political considerations, I would not get involved in the impeachment.”
The MP clarified that despite speculation suggesting he silently favored the ouster to position himself as a candidate for the Deputy President seat, his choice was strictly personal.
Beyond personal conviction, Nyoro argued that the ouster process was politically ill-advised and lacked strategic foresight. He noted that he had urged the ruling coalition to weigh the long-term ramifications before taking such a drastic step.
Nyoro advised that political and ideological differences within the ruling administration should have been resolved through internal dialogue rather than personal vendettas.
He highlighted that no thorough assessment was conducted to understand how removing Gachagua would impact the broader political landscape and the public.
As a key campaigner who helped form the Kenya Kwanza government in 2022, Nyoro questioned whether stripping a directly elected co-leader of his mandate reflected the principles his team originally represented.
Following his stance, Nyoro was gradually sidelined from executive consultations, eventually losing his chairmanship of the House Budget Committee and being removed from the panel altogether.
Nyoro rejected assertions that he was acting as a state operative or government mole within the opposition. Maintaining that he has fully parted ways with the current administration, he confirmed that he remains in communication with Gachagua while focusing on his future political path.
