Politics is often described as a game of seasons.
Leaders rise, fall, disappear from public view, and sometimes return stronger than before. Few politicians in Nyeri County embody that reality more than former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu.
As the race towards the 2027 General Election slowly gathers momentum, Wambugu’s name is once again becoming part of conversations in markets, churches, social gatherings, and political in Rware, Kamakwa, Mathari, Ruring’u, and Muruguru.
Whether one agrees with his politics or not, it is difficult to deny that he remains one of the most recognizable and experienced political figures to emerge from the constituency in recent years.
Wambugu’s political journey has been anything but ordinary.
Before entering elective politics, he built a reputation in the corporate world, serving in senior management positions and running successful private sector ventures.
His transition into national politics saw him become Director of Political Affairs at ODM and later a member of the presidential campaign team of the CORD coalition in 2013.
By 2017, he had successfully captured the Nyeri Town parliamentary seat after defecting to Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party. Defeating incumbent Esther Murugi and established himself while in office as one of the most vocal legislators from the Mt Kenya region.
During his tenure in Parliament between 2017 and 2022, Wambugu developed a reputation as a politician who paid particular attention to education.
Supporters frequently point to the constituency bursary programme that operated during his term. Hundreds of millions of shillings were reportedly directed towards supporting students from vulnerable families, with many residents recalling that needy learners rarely stayed out of school for long due to a lack of fees.
Education became one of the defining pillars of his leadership.
Parents across Nyeri Town often cite bursary support as one of the most tangible benefits they experienced during his tenure. For many families struggling with the rising cost of living, the programme provided a lifeline that enabled students to remain in school and complete their education.
It is perhaps for this reason that discussions around bursaries continue to feature prominently whenever residents compare past and present leadership.
Beyond constituency matters, Wambugu also emerged as a significant national political voice. During the highly charged period that preceded the 2022 elections, he became one of the leading architects and defenders of the Kieleweke movement, positioning himself firmly within the faction that supported President Uhuru Kenyatta.
His willingness to publicly defend his positions, even when they were unpopular within parts of Mt Kenya, earned him both admirers and critics. Yet it also cemented his image as a politician prepared to stand by his convictions.
Following his defeat in 2022, many expected him to fade from the political scene. Instead, he remains active in public discourse through television appearances, radio discussions, newspaper commentary, and digital platforms.
His subsequent appointment as Political Advisor to then Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua returned him to the centre of national politics and gave him a front-row seat to some of the most consequential political developments in recent Kenyan history.
Today, Wambugu enters the 2027 conversation carrying both experience and unfinished business.
Supporters argue that Nyeri Town needs a representative with deep knowledge of government, parliamentary procedures, public finance, and national politics.
They contend that his track record on education, combined with his understanding of both county and national political dynamics, makes him uniquely positioned to advocate effectively for the constituency.
