By REBECCA WANGARI
The People’s Party of Kenya leader Ndindi Nyoro has vowed to carve out his own political space amid criticism from a section of opposition leaders, insisting that he will not be intimidated by rivals seeking to undermine his political ambitions.
Nyoro said he had a clear political agenda and would not be distracted by individuals he accused of feeling threatened by his growing influence.
Speaking during a meeting with grassroots leaders, Nyoro said he had no intention of engaging in endless exchanges with his critics but would not remain silent when they resorted to what he termed mudslinging and propaganda.
He took aim at former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and his allies, accusing them of spreading propaganda and branding him a mole within the opposition.
“I am only being attacked by members from one party, and I am yet to understand what problem they have with me. But if they spread propaganda, I will hit back with hard truth,” Nyoro said.
The party leader warned that the confrontational approach adopted by leaders allied to the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) risked undermining unity within the opposition, arguing that their attacks were misplaced at a time when leaders should be concentrating on their common political objective.
“Our common enemy here is President William Ruto, and this should be the focus of any leader in the opposition instead of wasting their time and energy attacking me,” he said.
Nyoro also dismissed claims that his party was a new political outfit, saying it had been established years ago by a group of leaders from Kiambu County before he took over its leadership.
“The party is not new, as the majority of people claim. It was formed by a group of leaders from Kiambu years back. I just took over from them,” he said.
He said he intended to build a nationwide support base to strengthen his bargaining power in negotiations with other political formations ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Nyoro claimed the party was growing rapidly, citing what he described as a recent scientific survey that ranked it fifth nationally. He also claimed that more than 2,000 candidates were seeking to contest various elective positions on the party’s ticket.
On governance, Nyoro accused President Ruto of undermining the economy through the disposal of public assets, alleging that some transactions were designed to benefit private interests at the expense of public institutions.
He cited the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) share-sale deal, alleging that the President had directed the chief executives of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), Public Service Superannuation Fund (PSSF) and another fund he identified as PCF to sell shares in a transaction that he claimed earned investors Sh16 billion.
Nyoro argued that the proceeds could have been retained by the institutions to strengthen their financial positions and support economic development.
He further accused the President of having interests across major companies and economic sectors, urging him to prioritise the public interest over personal financial considerations.
“The President is claiming to be bargaining for the interests of the country, but behind the scenes he has disguised himself as an investor so that he can benefit from the deals,” Nyoro said.
The lawmaker maintained that Kenya had sufficient resources to meet citizens’ needs but was being held back by what he described as deeply entrenched corruption and the misuse of public resources.
He said he had a clear plan to revive the economy and improve service delivery, adding that he would work with other opposition leaders to pursue the agenda if they won power in the 2027 General Election.
