Kiharu Member of Parliament (MP) Ndindi Nyoro has come under intense fire from Kenyans after it was revealed that he was conspicuously absent from the National Assembly during the critical vote that saw the Finance Bill 2026 pass.
The Bill sailed through its Third Reading with 122 votes in favour and 40 against, clearing the way for it to be forwarded to President William Ruto for assent.
Only 162 Members of the National Assembly participated in the decisive vote out of 349 elected and nominated MPs, raising questions about legislative engagement during a critical economic decision.
Kenyans could not understand how the MP, who had recently become one of the most vocal leaders opposing a myriad of the government’s flawed policies, could suddenly miss in the August House to put his money where his mouth was.
After the bill passed, Kenyans took to social media to call out the legislator for his convenient absenteeism despite his unflinching criticism of the budgeting and taxation direction being taken by the Kenya Kwanza government.
Many viewed his fiery rhetoric as a deceptive performance, a way to cultivate popularity while ensuring he never had to actually stop the government’s agenda.
“I ask this government: do you want to break the record of borrowing? I think the better records to break are the records of good governance, not the records of profligate borrowing as we see it now,” he said in a June 9 session.
“The money we have borrowed so far, of close to Ksh.,nom4.5 trillion, is enough money to have had 100 kilometres of completed tarmac road in every constituency,” he said as he illustrated how borrowing had gone out of hand under President Ruto.
Despite these strong words, the gap between his public statements and his legislative actions has widened significantly. Many Kenyans directed their missiles at the former chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, calling out his apparent doublespeak and slamming him for only paying lip service to issues affecting Kenyans, terming him an opportunistic pretender.
He is now widely viewed as a political mole, someone who stays within the system to protect his interests while pretending to fight for the common man.
The public reaction has been swift and brutal. Activist Cop Shakur wrote, “I’m shocked that Ndindi Nyoro did not participate in the voting of the Finance Bill 2027. He had been complaining about the bill, but when it came time to vote, that is where he drew the line. I’m disappointed. When Raila was alive, MPs allied to him came out and voted against bills they opposed, regardless of the expected outcome.” Another user echoed this sentiment, noting, “Ndindi Nyoro is an enemy of the people… He puts on a sheep’s skin but deep inside he is still a wolf. To all these politicians, this country is their dining table and we are the recipe.
“When the heat became too much, Nyoro attempted to defend his absence by claiming he was out of the country for urgent, unavoidable engagements. He insisted that he takes the feedback from Kenyans with humility and claimed that his track record in parliamentary debate remains strong. He further blamed the current political climate, noting that with the Majority and Minority leadership aligned, the power of oversight has been weakened.
However, these explanations have fallen on deaf ears. For many, his excuse is just another tired script. Lawyer Willis Otieno challenged him directly, stating, “Buda, usitubebe ufala.
It is becoming a recurring pattern that whenever Parliament is confronted with consequential votes that directly affect the livelihoods of millions of Kenyans, you are conveniently outside the country.” Lawyer Ndegwa Njiru questioned his leadership, asking, “Why are you always absent when the nation needs you most?”
The trust has been broken. For many voters, the mask has finally slipped. Naomi Waithira summarized the feeling of many, telling the MP, “I think Kenyans overrated you. You made many of us believe you were clever, wise, and confident, but the more I listen and observe, the more I realize that image was largely built on perception rather than substance. YOU ARE A MOLE. Bye.”
The perception that Nyoro is an empty suit using public anger as a stepping stone for his own political survival has become the dominant narrative.
In the eyes of his constituents, he is no longer a champion of the people, but a calculated political operator who chose to abandon them at the hour of their greatest need.
