Ruto encircled as opposition, ODM rebels stage rival mega rallies nationwide
President William Ruto faced mounting political pressure on Sunday as opposition forces staged parallel mega rallies across the country, underscoring an intensifying battle for influence ahead of the 2027 elections.
While the President camped in Tharaka Nithi County, the United Alternative Government (UAG) opposition and the “Linda Mwananchi” faction of the Orange Democratic Movement fanned out across key regions, holding separate high-energy gatherings in Mombasa, Kisumu and Karatina in Nyeri County.
In Kisumu, the Linda Mwananchi faction—an ODM breakaway wing led by James Orengo and Edwin Sifuna—staged a defiant rally that drew large crowds, marking what allies described as a “triumphant entry” into the lakeside city.
The rally at K’Owuor Grounds, following a procession through Kondele, was framed as a return to ODM’s founding ideals. Leaders accused sections of the party of drifting from its core principles and aligning too closely with the government.
The Kisumu rally—held in ODM’s traditional stronghold widely signals a significant escalation in the party’s internal contest, with rival factions battling for control of its identity.
“We are charting a new path to protect the party from capture,” Orengo told supporters, while Sifuna warned that ODM should not be “run from State House,” in a thinly veiled critique of its cooperation with the ruling United Democratic Alliance.
The faction has openly opposed the broad-based arrangement between ODM and the government, arguing it has failed to deliver meaningful benefits to Kenyans. They accused some party officials of “selling out” and pledged to pursue an alternative political direction, including the possibility of fielding a presidential candidate in 2027.
Meanwhile, in Mombasa, DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua led UAG allies including Kalonzo Musyoka, Eugene Wamalwa and Justin Muturi in a parallel rally, where they criticised the government’s performance and rallied support for their opposition agenda.
Elsewhere, People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua held engagements in Karatina, while Jubilee presidential hopeful Fred Matiang’i addressed supporters in Murang’a County.
The coordinated shows of force highlighted growing anti-Ruto sentiment across different regions, while also exposing deepening divisions within ODM following the death of Raila Odinga.
