In the cutthroat world of Kenyan politics, success is often punished more severely than failure. Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro finds himself in the crosshairs of his own colleagues, who are accusing him of "making them look incompetent" with his heavily publicized development projects.

The grumbling came to a head when Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria publicly lamented that his constituents are now demanding "Nyoro-level" performance. Gikaria's frustration stems from Nyoro's recent initiative to pay school fees for thousands of students—a feat Gikaria claims is impossible with standard CDF allocations.

"Ametuweka Kwa Shida"

"He has put us in trouble," Gikaria complained. He alleged that Nyoro leveraged his former position as Chairman of the powerful Budget and Appropriations Committee to funnel an extra KSh 100 million to Kiharu for classrooms, thereby freeing up his CDF kitty for bursaries.

• The Accusation: "He used his influence to hive off money... now our people think we are stealing because we can't do the same," Gikaria charged.
• The Defense: Nyoro’s supporters argue that the MP is simply a prudent manager of resources. They point out that Kiharu was voted the best-managed constituency long before Nyoro held the budget docket.

The Comparison Trap

The saga highlights the "comparison trap" facing MPs. In the era of social media, a project in Murang'a is instantly visible in Nakuru, creating a pressure cooker for legislators who can no longer hide behind lack of funds. For Ndindi Nyoro, the "High Priest" of development, the jealousy of his peers is perhaps the sincerest form of flattery.