Ndegwa Njiru explains how opposition will beat Ruto with Mbeere North test
By Kiprono Keileb, September 9, 2025Outspoken lawyer and politician Ndegwa Njiru has drawn a direct link between the unfolding by-election politics in Mbeere North and the high-stakes presidential race expected in 2027.
In a statement on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, Njiru suggested that the unity displayed by opposition forces in backing a single candidate in Mbeere North could set the tone for a similar deal against President William Ruto in the next general election.
Njiru underscored the significance of the opposition’s move, pointing out that political alignment at the constituency level is not just about winning a seat but about signalling the broader strategy that could reshape national politics.
“If the United Opposition has agreed on a single candidate for Mbeere North By-Election, we shall equally agree on a single presidential candidate to face Kasongo,” Njiru stated, stressing that lessons from smaller contests must translate into national discipline for the opposition to be effective.
The lawyer emphasised that the stakes in upcoming political battles are too high for divisions or internal competition. He warned that disunity could derail opposition efforts to counter what he framed as a critical challenge to democracy.
“The risk of losing the Wantam mission for Kasongo is too high to gamble,” Njiru remarked, invoking the idea that electoral gains cannot be left to chance or fragmented efforts.
Also Watch: Embu Senator calls for peace ahead of the Mbeere North by-elections.
His comments reflect growing debates within opposition ranks about the need to consolidate leadership and establish a single, formidable front against Ruto. For Njiru, the Mbeere North example serves as a rehearsal for 2027, a reminder that without compromise and unity, the opposition risks handing easy victories to the incumbent.
Njiru’s words echo a broader sentiment within opposition bases that internal rivalries have, in past elections, played into the hands of ruling coalitions. By tying a local by-election to the presidential race, Njiru is also signalling to leaders that grassroots unity is as critical as elite negotiations at the top.
The Mbeere North contest, while local, has therefore taken on symbolic weight. Njiru’s remarks cast it as a testing ground for whether the opposition can hold together and sharpen its message. If unity prevails, he argues, then the same formula can be expanded to deliver a serious challenge to Ruto in 2027.