NYORO’S NEXT MOVE: DITCHES UDA, UNVEILS PEOPLE’S PARTY OF KENYA AHEAD OF 2027 POLLS Nairobi.

Speaking at a media briefing at Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi on August 17, 2026, the lawmaker declared the move after nearly a year of consultations with opposition leaders. “For the avoidance of doubt, I know you all know we left government a long time ago and dissociated with the wheelbarrow party, the UDA. Vile naona, hata wenye wheelbarrow wenyewe watatoka waiwache,” Nyoro said.

He continued: “Mimi kama Ndindi Nyoro na wafuasi wangu, kutoka leo, nimeingia chama inaitwa People’s Party of Kenya. As all members of the People’s Party of Kenya, we have today joined the opposition.” Nyoro added that the party’s membership had asked him to advance its political agenda, a call he said he had accepted.

The announcement marks one of the most significant defections from President William Ruto’s political camp as the country moves closer to the next polls. Nyoro, once a prominent Kenya Kwanza supporter and former chairperson of the National Assembly’s Budget and Appropriations Committee, had already publicly distanced himself from UDA in July 2026, accusing the party of abandoning its original hustler agenda and failing ordinary Kenyans.

Nyoro revealed that his decision followed extensive discussions with a range of opposition figures. Among those he consulted were former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua, former Cabinet Secretaries Fred Matiang’i and Peter Munya, Siaya Governor James Orengo and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna. He described the consultations as lasting nearly a year, with particularly sustained engagement involving Matiang’i.

Siaya Governor James Orengo, who attended the briefing, welcomed Nyoro into the broader opposition fold and specifically into the Linda Mwananchi initiative. Orengo said the two would now work more closely as party leaders.

The People’s Party of Kenya is a fully registered political party that received its certificate (serial number 022) from the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties on May 14, 2012 (some records list April 14). Its official symbol is a microphone, its colours are blue, red, green and white, and its slogan is “Usawa Haki Uhuru” (Equality, Justice, Freedom). The party positions itself as a grassroots platform representing ordinary Kenyans, including teachers, traders, farmers, boda boda riders and young people. Its headquarters are listed at Ruprani House in Nairobi.

Nyoro said he would immediately begin nationwide mobilisation. He plans to start tours in Rift Valley counties that have traditionally been strong bases for President Ruto, including Uasin Gishu, Kericho and Nandi, with further visits planned to other areas such as Bomet and Elgeyo-Marakwet. The tours, he explained, would allow him to explain the reasons for his fallout with the Kenya Kwanza administration and to engage voters directly.

Beyond personal mobilisation, Nyoro outlined plans to recruit and mentor candidates seeking Member of County Assembly and parliamentary seats under the PPK banner. “People contesting for MCAs and MPs under the People’s Party, I will be offering them advice so that as we fight above there, we also have credible leaders in the wards and constituencies,” he stated. He also invited opposition aspirants, including presidential hopefuls, to participate in PPK rallies, framing the party as an open platform rather than a closed vehicle.

Nyoro stopped short of declaring his own candidacy for any specific seat in 2027. At 40 years old and serving his second term as Kiharu MP, he has built a reputation as a policy-focused legislator known for constituency development projects funded through budget reallocation. Political observers note that his name has featured in popularity surveys as a potential national running mate, though he has not confirmed any presidential ambitions.

The defection comes against a backdrop of growing political realignment in the Mount Kenya region and beyond. Nyoro had earlier expressed regret for supporting Ruto in 2022, saying the administration had failed to deliver on promises of accessible healthcare, quality education, employment and business opportunities. He had also criticised heavy taxation, the rising cost of living and public debt accumulation.

In the months leading to Monday’s announcement, Nyoro faced pressure from both government and opposition camps to clarify his position. He had skipped the Finance Bill 2026 vote and publicly insisted that he and many in Mount Kenya had already left the “wheelbarrow” long before the formal declaration.

He urged Kenyans evaluating options for 2027 to consider the People’s Party of Kenya. “Mkiangalia viongozi wale watapeleka Kenya mbele from next year, I also ask humbly the people of Kenya, muangalie pia People’s Party. Pia wao wako na viongozi wanaweza shikana mkono na wengine na tukomboe Kenya August of next year,” Nyoro said.

The announcement ends months of speculation about Nyoro’s next political step and places him firmly in the opposition camp less than a year before the general election. Whether PPK can rapidly expand its structures, attract candidates and build support beyond Kiharu and Mount Kenya will determine its influence in the emerging political contest. For now, Nyoro has signalled that the work of nationwide organising and grassroots recruitment begins immediately.