Nairobi — UDA Ousts Ndindi Nyoro from Influential Budget Committee in Parliamentary Shake-Up

In a political reshuffle that marks a significant shift for Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has removed him from the Budget and Appropriations Committee, reassigning him to the Diaspora Affairs and Migrant Workers Committee.

 What Changed?

• On July 29, 2025, the National Assembly’s Committee on Selection, led by Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro, moved Nyoro out of one of Parliament’s most powerful committees. He was replaced by Mathioya MP Edwin Gichuki, while Leah Sankaire was shifted out of Diaspora Affairs to make room for Nyoro.

• Nyoro previously chaired the Budget Committee until March 2025, when he was replaced by Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi following broader realignment in support of President William Ruto’s administration.

Motivation Behind the Shift

• While Official reasons cited regional, expertise-based, and gender balancing considerations under Standing Order 175, insiders suggest Nyoro’s open criticism of government fiscal policies and his perceived neutrality during the Rigathi Gachagua impeachment vote contributed heavily to his removal.

• Nyoro had vocally challenged government decisions on the Talanta Infrastructure Bond and rising fuel prices, calling them economically unsound and electorally burdensome, raising tensions with Kenya Kwanza leadership.

Strategic and Political Implications

 Broader Outlook

This latest reshuffle underscores how parliamentary seating remains tethered to political loyalty, not just merit. In sidelining Nyoro, UDA appears to be reasserting internal discipline ahead of critical budget cycles and policy negotiations.

As political commentators note:

“Nyoro’s vocal critique of government borrowing and fuel policies made him incompatible with the ruling party’s legislative agenda,” and his move mirrors a broader cultural push for conformity within allied legislators.

 What to Watch Next

• Nyoro’s positioning: Will he continue pushing reform from a less influential committee, or drift into opposition territory?

• Committee dynamics: Observers expect further realignment with MPs who toe the Kenya Kwanza line filling key posts.

• Public policy debates: Nyoro may remain a critical commentator on fiscal matters, albeit outside formal channels of financial decision-making.

Final Word

With Ndindi Nyoro’s removal from the Budget and Appropriations Committee and reassignment to a peripheral parliamentary role, UDA has made it clear: dissent within its ranks, particularly on economic policy, carries risk. The move ratchets up pressure on allied lawmakers to stay in sync with the administration’s messaging or risk being sidelined.