Murang'a senator, Joe Nyutu, clarified endorsing Kiharu Member of Parliament, Ndindi Nyoro, as President William Ruto’s successor.
During an interview at Kamame FM on Monday, February 20, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) senator stated that he agitated for Murang'a county to produce a president, contrary to widely shared allegations.
Nyutu added that he did not urge Nyoro to oust Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua as Mt Kenya kingpin.
“We didn't state that Ndindi Nyoro will be the country’s leader in 2027. I clearly stated that Kiambu has produced two presidents (the late Jomo Kenyatta and former President Uhuru Kenyatta) and Nyeri the same (the late retired Mwai Kibaki and now our DP Gachagua).
As Kenyans from Murang’a, we would also like a country’s head to come from our county after Gachagua’s exits politics,” he stated.
He further noted that he believed in early preparation, and had already initiated a move to have Nyoro elected as president in the near future.
“When that time comes, we will endorse Nyoro. But for now, we recognise Gachagua as the Mt Kenya kingpin. As people from the mountain, we are not foolish, and we have to be prepared all the time. We know a time will come when Gachagua will retire,” he added.
“We don't want to be in the darkness. So the moment Gachagua is out, Nyoro will take over. Gachagua is our cow, and Nyoro is the calf,” he uttered.
Gachagua’s lieutenants Martin Warui, chair of the Mt Kenya Million Plus for Gachagua’lobby group, tore into Nyoro after he was branded as a trouble maker.
"It is ambitions taken too far for a mere MP to start thinking of dislodging a deputy president from prominence and proximity to power.
"Before we can think of Nyoro as a successor to the throne, we should first ask Gachagua whether he has blessed him,” he noted.
Nyoro, in a rebuttal, dismissed reports that he sought to succeed William Ruto as president and insisted that he was working for the people.
The youthful MP was in the spotlight after launching an education programme, "Kiharu Masomo Bora, " which will see parents pay Ksh1,000 per term for public day secondary school students.
Parents will thus pay Ksh15,000 per year or Ksh5,000 per term for each student. His initiative raised his popularity within his constituency and Mt Kenya at large, sparking fears that he was setting himself on a mission to reduce Gachagua's prominence.
Nyoro also won Kenyans' hearts after he launched a plan to standardize high school fees to Ksh1,000 for all-day scholars in his constituency.
On February 15, the Kiharu legislator announced that the programme named Masomo Bora programme would slash Fees to Ksh1,000 per term in all 60 Day Secondary Schools and cover about 14,000 learners.
