The war of words between Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro and allies of DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua has escalated, exposing growing mistrust within the opposition as rival camps fight for influence in Mt Kenya and beyond.
The latest confrontation pits Nyoro, leader of the People’s Party of Kenya (PPK), against Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara, a vocal supporter of Gachagua and the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP).
On Thursday, Nyoro warned he could expose damaging information about Kihara if she continued questioning his loyalty to the opposition and calling him a mole.
Speaking at his party’s headquarters, where he received more aspirants, Nyoro threatened to turn an increasingly bitter political exchange into a potentially damaging exchange of personal allegations.
“For Jayne Kihara, there are things I chose not to do for politics, including disrespecting someone who is old enough to be my parent. I listened to what she said somewhere [in a radio interview], and I called her. I told her that she was trying to push me to the wall because, if I spoke, she would hate me,” Nyoro said.
“I told her that I would say very hard truths which are more painful than the lies that she is peddling. I told her that if she speaks the truth, I will not respond, but if she tells lies, I will not keep quiet.”
In the interview, Kihara questioned Nyoro’s loyalty to the Wantam camp, alleging he had shared business interests and asking why he appeared to escape attacks from his allies despite positioning himself within the opposition.
“Ndindi Nyoro has been sent to say ‘Wantam’,” she said.
Her remarks revived accusations that the Kiharu legislator could be working to weaken the opposition from within, claims Nyoro has repeatedly rejected.
The latest exchange comes days after a similar confrontation between Nyoro and Nyandarua Senator John Methu, the DCP secretary general-designate, over allegations the PPK leader is a government mole.
Speaking on Citizen TV on October 11, Methu said Nyoro’s name would feature prominently if he were to identify individuals allegedly working to undermine the opposition.
“If I was to name moles, then I think the name Ndindi Nyoro will feature prominently,” Methu said.
Methu claimed he had previously consulted Nyoro after government operatives allegedly approached him with an offer to establish a political party that would fragment Mt Kenya’s political support.
He said he was surprised when Nyoro subsequently launched the PPK, arguing the move contradicted their earlier discussions about the dangers of splitting opposition votes.
Methu also questioned Nyoro’s decision to abstain during the impeachment proceedings against Gachagua, suggesting the legislator might have received an offer similar to the one he alleged had been made to him.
Nyoro dismissed the accusations.
Methu has alleged he was offered Sh30 million to abstain from Gachagua’s impeachment, a claim that remains an allegation. The Star has also not independently verified Nyoro’s counter-accusations.
The personal exchanges are unfolding alongside an emerging contest over political territory, as the two parties seek to establish themselves in traditional strongholds and beyond.
On Tuesday, Nyoro and Jubilee Party leader Fred Matiang’i held joint rallies in Kajiado, signalling an expanding political partnership between the PPK and Jubilee.
The DCP brigade returned to the county on Wednesday, a day after the joint rallies, signalling growing competition for visibility and influence in an area where rival opposition formations are seeking to build support.
Gachagua has sought to consolidate his support through the DCP, while Nyoro has established a separate political vehicle and increasingly worked alongside Matiang’i, who is positioning himself within the opposition’s broader presidential contest.
That emerging partnership has unsettled some DCP allies, who have questioned whether the two leaders are pursuing a common opposition strategy or building an alternative political centre that could challenge Gachagua’s influence.
The infighting also raises questions about how the opposition will manage competing ambitions at constituency and county level, where party loyalties and candidate nominations could become as contentious as the presidential race.
However, Matiang’i has publicly urged opposition leaders to stop attacking one another and concentrate on their shared objective.
