Ndindi Nyoro (born 12 December 1985) is a Kenyan politician currently serving as member of parliament (MP) for Kiharu Constituency in Murang'a County. He is also a businessman and entrepreneur. Nyoro belongs to United Democratic Alliance (UDA),a political party under the Kenya Kwanza alliance led by the president of Kenya,William Ruto. He is a graduate of Kenyatta University with a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) and was a student leader at the same university.[2] Similarly,he holds two Master’s degrees;a Master of Arts in Economics,and a Master of Economics (Policy and Management) from the University of Nairobi and Kenyatta University respectively,which he pursued concurrently and successfully completed in 2025.
Nyoro has been rated as among the best performing Members of Parliament in Kenya,[3][4] and he is immediate former Chairman of Budget and Appropriations Committee in the National Assembly.[5] During Kenya's 59th Jamhuri Day,he was feted by President William Ruto with an honour of Chief of Burning Spear (CBS) for his exemplary development record in his constituency. [6]
In addition to his role as a Member of Parliament,Nyoro is an entrepreneur with business interests spanning stock brokerage,communications,construction,civil works,and water engineering and drilling. His entrepreneurial journey began during his teenage years in rural Murang’a,where he worked as a cobbler and hawker,before later expanding into larger-scale business ventures.[7]
Nyoro contested the Kiharu Constituency Parliamentary Seat in the 2017 Kenyan general election and was elected Member of Parliament after receiving 60,881 votes,defeating his closest rival who garnered 35,181 votes. His election was notable given the constituency's history of producing prominent national politians,including Kenneth Matiba.[8] In the 2022 general election,Nyoro was re-elected to the same seat by a large margin,securing 68,256 votes compared to 9,425 votes obtained by his nearest competitor.[9]
Nyoro was a confidante and a key member of President William Ruto's inner circle[10] until he adopted a neutral stance during the impeachment proceedings against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. He had been widely regarded as a leading contender for President Ruto’s running mate in 2022 Kenyan general election;however,the position was ultimately awarded to Gachagua. Gachagua later fell out with the President and was impeached in October 2024. Nyoro belongs to United Democratic Alliance,a political party under Kenya Kwanza
In March 2019,Nyoro introduced the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes (Amendment) Bill,2019 in Parliament. The proposed legislation sought to impose severe penalties for corruption offences,including the death penalty. The bill attracted significant public attention and debate. However,ODM party leader Raila Odinga criticised the proposal,arguing that it was intended to curtail the powers of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the handling of corruption cases. Nyoro rejected these claims,instead attributing the criticism to media misrepresentation of the bill’s intent. [11]
On 8 September 2019,Nyoro was involved in an altercation with then Nominated Member of Parliament Maina Kamanda during a fundraising event in Kiharu. Following the incident,he was sought by police and subsequently arrested on allegations of assault,incitement,and causing a disturbance. His arrest prompted protests and vigils by supporters in Murang’a town,who called for his release and maintained his innocence. Several Members of Parliament allied to then Deputy President William Ruto described the arrest as politically motivated,accusing operatives of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration of using state machinery to intimidate and silence political opponents. Nyoro was released the following morning,and all charges against him were unconditionally withdrawn.[12][13]
Nyoro is married to Sophia Wambūi. He is the author of a motivational book,How to Succeed in High School.
Early life and education
Nyoro was born in December 1985 in Gathukiini location,Murang'a District (now Murang'a County). His mother was a peasant farmer while his father a small time carpenter in Kiandutu slums in Thika. He is the last born son in a family of four,the other siblings being his sisters. Nyoro enrolled for his primary education at Gathukiini Primary School and when he was in Standard 6,he opened a kiosk at his village to juggle between it and the school,but Nyoro's father dealt it a big blow when he purchased all the stock and ordered Ndìndìto demolish it and focus on his studies.[14] Upon completing his primary education,Nyoro won a slot at Kiaguthu Boys Secondary School,but he could not join the school due to prohibitively high fees. The family thus enrolled him at Kiambugi Boys' Secondary because the school principal was a family friend and could allow for a flexible fee payment plan. Nyoro repaired shoes for his schoolmates at Kiambugi to scrape a living and to add to fee payment. During school holidays,he burnt charcoal and sold second hand clothes to supplement his family's meagre farming income.[15] Nyoro was partly orphaned as his father passed on. He completed his secondary education in 2003 and performed exemplary well in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations and was the only student in Kiambugi in that year who got a university placement. He had to remain in school and work as a librarian in order to offset fee arrears of $300.[16]
In 2005,Nyoro joined Kenyatta University for a Bachelor of Arts (Economics). To muddle through harsh financial life,he set up a restaurant near the university,but the business performed dismally and he closed it down. He then secured a part-time job as a stockbroker in Nairobi. While a sophomore,he was elected as a student leader in Kenyatta University Student Association where he was the Academic Secretary. Nyoro graduated from Kenyatta University in December 2009.[17]
Business career
Nyoro started Stockbridge Securities while a sophomore at Kenyatta University as he was working part-time for Ngenye Kariuki &Company Stockbrokers. Through apprenticeship by his mentor and the director of the company,Ngenye Kariuki who coincidentally happened to be Kiharu former member of parliament,Nyoro was introduced to the world of stock brokerage. But his start-up lost many business opportunities due to poor internet connection,and after carrying out research in Thika where one of his offices was located. In 2010,he then started Afrisec Telecoms as an internet service provider,and the firm has metamorphosized into a big entity with huge capital and staff establishment. In 2016,he co-founded a stock brokerage firm,Investax Capital,and due to conflict of interests,he resigned from Stockbridge Securities and receded his shareholding. Investax Capital is the largest stockbroker agency in Kenya with several branches. Later in 2016,he started yet another firm,to deal with construction,civil works,water engineering and drilling.
Political career
Early political career
Nyoro's political career began in Kenyatta University when he was elected as a student leader in 2006 to represent over 40,000 students in the University Senate. He served the same student union with his friend John Kagucia,the current Mūkūrwe-ini Member of Parliament and former Speaker of Nyeri County Assembly,and Maryann Njambi Mugo who unsuccessfully vied for Molo Parliamentary seat on KANU ticket in 2017. Through student politics in Kenyatta University,Nyoro met his friend Senator Mwaura Isaac Maigua,a former nominated senator,and other comrades such as Muchangi Karemba and Kuria Kimani who are Members of Parliament for Runjenjes and Molo respectively.
In 2013,Nyoro was appointed the Chairperson of Kiharu Constituency Development Fund (CDF),a position he served until midway in order to offer a chance to someone else.
Election as Kiharu Constituency MP
In 2017,Nyoro vied for the Kiharu Parliamentary Seat where he trounced eleven competitors to clinch Jubilee Party ticket in the party primaries and thereafter won as the Member of Parliament during the 8 August election by scooping 60,991 votes against his main competitor who garnered 35,181 votes.[18] His win at 31 years as a son of peasant farmer was hailed as a remarkable triumph over the big giants such as Kenneth Matiba,Gikonyo Kiano,Kembi Gitura and Ngenye Kariuki that represented the constituency in the past.[19] In 2022 general election,he was re-elected as member of parliament and won by landslide when he garnered 68,256 votes against his closest competitor who got 9,425 votes.[20]
Controversial Anti-corruption and Economics Crime Amendment Bill,2019
In March 2019,Nyoro proposed a bill in parliament to have those convicted of corruption in Kenya face stringent punishment,including execution. The bill,Anti-corruption and Economics Crime Amendment Bill 2019,which was mooted against the backdrop of unsuccessful sentence of serious economic crime offenders in Kenya,also sought to have corruption cases handled exclusively by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.[21] Though his proposals had received general support in and out of National Assembly,Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga termed it as a ploy to disempower Directorate of Criminal Investigations and Directorate of Public Prosecutions from handling corruption cases.[22][23]
8 September 2019 fundraiser clash and subsequent arrest
On 8 September 2019,Nyoro clashed with former Nominated Member of Parliament (MP) Maina Kamanda over protocol in a fundraising ceremony in Gìtui Catholic Church in Kiharūwhen Nyoro insisted on his prerogative to officiate the event as the area MP. An altercation ensued in and outside the church,and the police attempted to arrest him,but angry supporters shielded him away. Later in the evening,Nyoro found himself marooned inside the studios of Royal Media Services where he had attended a show on Inooro TV as contingent of police officers lay in waiting outside.[24] But he left the media house incognito and surfaced the following morning in Kiangage Primary School in Kiharu on a developmental tour,where he castigated the then Interior Principal Secretary (PS) Karanja Kibicho for misusing police to fight him politically. After playing cat and mouse game with the police,a contingent of paramilitary General Service Unit (GSU) officers was deployed and finally arrested Nyoro at ACK St. James Cathedral in Murang'a where he was attending an evening show on Kameme TV alongside two other legislators from Muranga County. He was apprehended and detained in Mūrang'a Police Station on allegations of assaulting police officers,causing disturbance at the church service and resisting arrest during the fundraiser.[25] News of his arrest provoked a storm of protest in Murang'a,and residents poured on the streets at night and lit bonfires,demanding immediate release of the MP.[26] Nyoro was later released from the police custody later in the night and the following morning he appeared in Murang'a Law Court where charges against him were dropped unconditionally.[27][28] His supporters went wild with jubilation as he vacated the court accompanied by a swarm of political leaders.[29] When addressing a multitude of his supporters in Murang'a,Nyoro echoed words of the former Kiharu MP and multi-party democracy activist Kenneth Matiba of 'let the people decide',in reference to the political stance he has taken of supporting Deputy President William Ruto for 2022 presidency,a stand he says,has caused his political persecution. He said this to the media,"I'm elected by the people and it is to them I owe allegiance. We must be given space to exercise our free will,and people should not be bulldozed to follow certain political direction. These persecutors must never lie to themselves that they can buy off souls and hearts of poor people with their money. This money in the first place belong to the poor peasants and their families. I am ready to pay the price for what my people and I believe in."[30]
Team Tangatanga
Nyoro distinguished himself as a stalwart supporter and an adherent of then Kenyan Deputy President Dr William Ruto,and a figurehead behind Team Tangatanga –a large faction of Members of Parliament (MPs) that supported William Ruto's 2022 presidential bid. Team Tangatanga (which derived its name from President Uhuru Kenyatta's 'kutangatanga' remark –which means to wander –as he referred to William Ruto's frequent political tours to Uhuru Kenyatta's Mount Kenya backyard) was composed a group of dissenters opposed to Uhuru-Raila Handshake (2018 Peace Agreement between President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga)[31] due to its aim of blocking William Ruto's presidential bid. Tangatanga had its match in a loose political conglomeration called Team Kieleweke (which means clear or known) that comprised some Members of Parliament drawn from Jubilee Party and a few 2017 general election losers who were opposed to William Ruto's 2022 presidential bid. Nyoro and other Tangatanga allied MPs from the Mount Kenya region bore the brunt for their association with William Ruto.[32] In July 2019,Nyoro wrote on his Facebook page that there were plans to harass and silence MPs affiliated to Deputy President William Ruto and that he himself had been informed reliably of his imminent arrest. He said he would not be intimidated since he has 'lived in houses and situations worse than police cells'.[33]
Running Mate Position and William Ruto's Inner Circle
Nyoro was a confidante and a key member of President William Ruto's inner circle. During and after the formation of Kenya Kwanza alliance under William Ruto,He had been viewed as a possible running mate to Ruto,but the position was given to Rigathi Gachagua who became Deputy President but later impeached by Parliament in October 2024 following his fallout with the president. Nyoro played a pivotal role in William Ruto's presidential campaign and election as an aggressive mobiliser of his largest ethnic Kikuyu voting block as well as that of youthful Kenyan voting basket. Nyoro was regarded as part of the new power brokers at State House after William Ruto's ascension as Kenya's fifth president.[34] until the impeachment of Rigathi Gachagua as a Deputy President where he opted to snub away. This would strain relations within the ruling Kenya Kwanza Coalition,with some members viewing his rising national profile and political ambition [35] as a threat that needed to be curtailed. Consequently,he was ousted as Chairperson of the influential National Assembly Budget and Appropriations Committee,paving the way for Samuel Atandi,a close ally of opposition leader-turned-government supporter Raila Odinga,to take over .
Personal life
Ndìndìis married to Sophia Wambūi.[36] He always concludes his Facebook and X posts with a hashtag,'We are African and Africa is our business.'
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