Showdown expected in Kisumu as ‘Linda Mwananchi’ faction storms ODM stronghold

The Linda Mwananchi team led by ODM splinter faction comprising of Siaya Senatr James Orengo and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna heads to the heartland of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) when they hold a rally in Kisumu on Sunday, April 26 after tomorrow’s planned rally in Nakuru amid fears goons who have been instilling fear among those opposed to the broad-based government will seek to disrupt it.

This is especially following the vicious attack on Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi at a coffee house in the lakeside city.

Osotsi is one of the leading lights in the team opposed to plans by the faction led by ODM Party Leader Oburu Oginga, which is also opposed to a plan to negotiate with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) for a pre-election agreement to back his re-election bid in 2027.

Already, Kilimani MCA Robert Alai has set the stage for a potential showdown by asking enstranged ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna by asking him to apologise to Oburu for calling his leadership of the party mediocre.

“Edwin Sifuna must apologise to Oburu for calling him mediocre. That apology must come before any Linda Mwananchi rally in Kisumu. Kisumu is the headquarters of Western Kenya. Busia, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Vihiga, Kakamega, Kisii, Migori, Nyamira and Siaya strongholds of ODM depend on Kisumu as the regional political HQ. Insulting ODM Party Leader and then going to Kisumu is like poking the anus of a donkey and then still hoping that you will ride on it. Sifuna MUST apologise to Oburu ASAP,” he wrote on social media.

He was referring to remarks made by Sifuna at a parallel meeting held by the Linda Mwananchi group at Ufungamano House on the day Oburu presided over a Special National Delegates Conference.

“Oburu, tafuta SG wako. Siwezi kuwa SG wa mediocrity (Oburu, find your own Secretary General. I cannot be the SG of mediocrity,” he declared.

However, Sifuna has indicated he does not expect trouble when they visit Kisumu, terming its residents as civilized.

“The people of Kisumu are civilised. We want a contest of ideas, we don’t want a contest of goons. We will not accept that invitation,” he declared.

He has also said the Linda Mwananchi team will visit Kisumu to thank the people in person for unmasking the goons who attacked Osotsi.

This was in reference to images posted on social media by locals following the shocking events in which the locals positively identified the goons, leading to the arrest of two of them.

The Kisumu visit follows accusations by the ODM top brass allied to Oburu’s Linda Ground that UDA is trying to wrestle seats the party holds in its strongholds.

It remains to be seen how many supporters will come out in defiance of the party’s official position in the face of the rifts in the broad-based government, which are likely to sow seeds of betrayal and uncertainty within ODM ranks.

Before the Kisumu visit, Linda Mwananchi team will hold a rally in Nakuru, another political hotbed, on Sunday, April 19, 2026.

Linda Mwananchi has already held rallies in Busia, Kakamega, Kajiado and Narok as it seeks to create momentum for Ruto’s ouster.

While its endgame is not yet clear, its proponents, such as Siaya Governor James Orengo, has described it as a tsunami.

“This thing is huge; it’s a tsunami and unstoppable. No force on earth is going to stand in our way,” Orengo stated.

This comes amid fallout between the Senator Oburu Odinga ODM faction supporting the broad-based government arrangement and President William Ruto’s UDA party with the former saying that they have suspended coalition talks with the United Democratic Alliance ahead of the 2027 General Election, signalling deepening cracks within the broad-based government arrangement.

The decision was reached during a high-level meeting of ODM’s Central Management Committee chaired by party leader Oburu Oginga.

Sources described the meeting as tense and, at times, heated, with senior officials expressing frustration over what they termed as growing disrespect and political encroachment by their coalition partner.

Party insiders said ODM resolved to halt all negotiations with UDA and instead focus on strengthening its internal structures and grassroots support before engaging in any pre-election coalition discussions.

As part of the resolution, ODM also directed its members to stop campaigning for the re-election of William Ruto until outstanding issues between the two parties are addressed. The move marks a significant shift in tone, given the recent cooperation between the two outfits under the broad-based government framework.

“Our focus now is on ODM. We are not going to engage in coalition talks with people who have no respect for us and our party,” a senior party official said following the meeting.

To address the standoff, a delegation comprising top ODM leaders, including the party chairperson and deputy leadership, has been tasked with seeking an urgent meeting with President Ruto in a bid to resolve the simmering tensions.

The fallout is largely linked to disagreements over political zoning and accusations that UDA is attempting to field candidates in ODM strongholds, a move the party views as undermining its influence.