Leaders allied to the Linda Mwananchi faction of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) on Sunday stormed Nakuru City, where they announced plans for three days of demonstrations in June over what they termed as bad governance in Kenya.
Speaking during a church service at Kivumbini PAG Church, Siaya Governor James Orengo, a principal figure in the faction, said the group plans to hold protests on June 24, 25 and 26 to coincide with the anniversary of the June 2024 Gen Z-led demonstrations.
'We will liberate this country,' Linda Mwananchi leaders in Nakuru
“We are tired of bad governance in this country, and on June 24, 25 and 26 we will hold a series of protests to make this country ungovernable. This has happened before, and we want to do it again in June. I do not see President William Ruto getting to August 2027. We want this regime to end now,” said Orengo.
“We do not fear prison, we do not fear death or fear itself. The time has come, and the time to liberate this country is now,” he added.
Other leaders who spoke during the church service, including Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and MPs Babu Owino and Caleb Amisi, described the Linda Mwananchi faction as a movement determined to liberate Kenya from bad governance.
“There was the first, second and third liberation of Kenya. Our father, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, led the third liberation, and now we, his students, are going to lead the fourth liberation. We want to reclaim Kenya’s economy and respond to our generational duty of economic recovery,” said Mr Owino.
Senator Sifuna said the decision to hold the rally in Nakuru was deliberate and aimed at strengthening the group’s message on governance reforms.
“Nakuru is the country’s political bedrock, and we are here because we want to set the tone that we are fed up with President William Ruto’s governance. After Nakuru, the whole country will join the liberation movement,” said Sifuna.
“We want Kenyans to live in an environment free of corruption. You cannot tell us you are building roads when human rights are being abused every day. We want to liberate this country, and nobody will stop useven if we are thrown into a den of lions,” he added.
He further accused the government of misleading Kenyans on fuel pricing, claiming that costs are manipulated rather than determined transparently.
“The government has been misleading Kenyans that fuel prices are based on a scientific formula. But now we know it is President Ruto and his close associates who determine the prices,” Sifuna alleged.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino rallied supporters behind the faction, describing Governor Orengo as a key pillar of the movement.
“We are going through many challenges, including the high cost of living and unemployment, and we want Kenyans to pray for this group and our pillar James Orengo. He is the source of our wisdom, and I am sure we will liberate this country,” said Owino.
The leaders first attended the church service before proceeding to a rally at Mazembe Grounds in Nakuru West.
Also present were MPs Clive Gisairo (Kitutu Masaba), Anthony Kibagendi (Kitutu Chache South), Obadiah Barongo (Bomachoge Borabu), among others.
