Ndindi Nyoro

Ndindi'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 Kaguchia, the current Mukurweini 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, Ndindi 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, Ndindi 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.

In 2017, Ndindi threw his hat into ring for 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.[27] Ndindi's win at only 32 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.[28] In 2022 general election, Ndindi 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.[29]

In March 2019, Ndindi 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.[30] Though Ndindi's proposals had received general support in and out of National Assembly, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga came guns blazing and attributed Ndindi's amendments as a ploy to disempower Directorate of Criminal Investigations and Directorate of Public Prosecutions from handling corruption cases.[31][32]

On Sunday, 8 September 2019, Ndindi clashed with former Nominated Member of Parliament (MP) Maina Kamanda over protocol in a fundraising ceremony in Gitui Catholic Church in Kiharu when Ndindi 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 Ndindi, but angry supporters shielded him away. Later in the evening, Ndindi 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.[33] 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 were deployed and finally arrested Ndindi at ACK St James Cathedral in Murang'a where he was attending an evening show on Kameme TV alongside two other legislators from Murang'a county. Ndindi was apprehended and detained in Murang'a Police Station on allegations of assaulting police officers, causing disturbance at the church service and resisting arrest during the fundraiser.[34] 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.[35] Ndindi 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.[36][37] His supporters went wild with jubilation as Ndindi vacated the court accompanied by a swarm of political leaders.[38] When addressing a multitude of his supporters in Murang'a, Ndindi 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."[39]

Ndindi 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)[40] due to its aim of blocking William Ruto's presidential bid. Tangataga 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. Ndindi and other Tangatanga allied MPs from Mount Kenya region bore the brunt of their association with William Ruto.[41] In July 2019, Ndindi 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. Ndindi said he would not be intimidated since he has 'lived in houses and situations worse than police cells'.[42]

Ndindi is a confidante and a key member of President William Ruto's inner circle and whose admiration for him, he says, is due to Ruto's humble beginnings. "Like Dr Ruto, my father was nobody. He was a poor carpenter and a hustler who only left us with a hammer, a handsaw and nails as inheritance," Ndindi said this to a news reporter in April 2019.[43] In February, 2019, Ruto described Ndindi as 'among the most progressive and development-oriented legislators' in Kenya.[44]

During and after the formation of Kenya Kwanza alliance under William Ruto, Ndindi had been viewed as a possible running mate to William Ruto, but the position was given to Rigathi Gachagua who is now the Deputy President. Ndindi 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 constituency. Ndindi is now regarded as part of new power brokers at State House after William Ruto's ascension as Kenya's fifth president.[45]