Speaking during an interview with Meru FM on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, Nyoro said winning an election and governing a country were fundamentally different responsibilities and argued that political leaders should prepare for governance long before assuming office.
Nyoro, who was previously one of Ruto’s close political allies and a prominent mobiliser during the 2022 presidential campaign, said he believed Ruto was highly effective at seeking votes but was not adequately prepared for the presidency.
“Mimi huona William Ruto alikuwa mtu mzuri sana kwa njia ya kutafuta kura, lakini hakuwa prepared kuwa rais,” Nyoro said.
The PPK leader claimed the first two years of the Kenya Kwanza administration were characterised by experimentation as the new government familiarised itself with existing programmes, projects and the country’s financial obligations.
Nyoro says two years were lost to ‘trial and error’
Nyoro cited several activities undertaken during the early years of the administration as evidence of what he described as inadequate preparation.
He recalled Ruto travelling from Nairobi to launch projects that had been initiated under previous administrations, including projects associated with former presidents Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel arap Moi and Mwai Kibaki.
“Nasema hivi kwasababu miaka ya kwanza mbili, na tulikuwa hapo karibu na yeye, tulipoteza hiyo wakati kwa trial and error,” Nyoro said.
“Alikuwa anatoka Nairobi anaenda kufungua mradi ulikuwa wa yule Kenyatta wa kwanza, anaenda kufungua mradi ilitengezwa wakati wa Moi, mradi wa wakati wa Kibaki, ju alikuwa anafanya trial and error,” he added.
Nyoro argued that much of the time spent familiarising the administration with government programmes and projects could have been avoided had a detailed governance plan been prepared before the 2022 election.
His remarks mark a significant shift from his earlier role as one of Ruto’s most vocal political allies and campaign strategists.
Nyoro recalls Treasury briefings
The former Budget and Appropriations Committee chair also recalled the early briefings that members of the incoming administration received from Treasury officials after the 2022 election.
According to Nyoro, the briefings exposed the administration to the extent of government debt and pending bills, developments that he said appeared to surprise some leaders.
“Ukiangalia wakati tulishinda na tukaanza kupatana na watu wa Treasury wakaanza kutueleza madeni na pending bills za serikali, nikaanza kuona anashtuka,” Nyoro said.
He questioned why such financial realities appeared to come as a surprise after the election, arguing that leaders seeking to govern should understand the country’s financial position before taking office.
“Sasa unashtuka kwani ulikuwa unatafuta kuongoza nchi gani?” he posed.
Nyoro’s criticism comes after his political break with Ruto and his subsequent alignment with the opposition ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The Kiharu MP has increasingly criticised the Kenya Kwanza administration while positioning himself and the PPK within the emerging opposition coalition.
His latest remarks are likely to intensify the political contest between former allies as the 2027 election approaches, with the record of the Ruto administration expected to become a major issue in the campaign.
