Siaya Governor James Orengo has announced plans to launch a new political vehicle for his 2027 presidential bid, opening a fresh front in the opposition’s contest over leadership and electoral strategy.
The governor said he remained committed to opposition unity and a single presidential candidate, even as he prepares to unveil his own vehicle.
“I support the struggle for change which cannot be achieved without unity and positive political action. We are participating in this journey with the launch of a political vehicle and remain committed to opposition unity and identification of one presidential candidate,” Mr Orengo said on Thursday.
Siaya Governor James Orengo announces plans to launch his own political party
The announcement came days after Linda Mwananchi endorsed Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna as its leader and presidential candidate at a September 26 retreat that Mr Orengo did not attend.
The movement is expected to unveil the party through which Mr Sifuna will pursue his presidential bid.
The Daily Nation has established that Mr Orengo has acquired the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), a political vehicle previously associated with the late Raila Odinga and Dennis Kodhe. The governor has not publicly confirmed that LDP will be the vehicle he intends to launch.
His latest move was foreshadowed on Wednesday when he posted: “Baba’s anniversary is approaching! Get ready,” alongside a photograph of a hat bearing green, blue and white, the official colours of LDP.
Sources close to Mr Orengo, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he intends to use the party to negotiate with opposition formations, including the Ukombozi Alliance and Linda Mwananchi.
Linda Mwananchi leaders (from left) Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Siaya Governor James Orengo and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna attend a public rally at Kivulini Grounds in Thika, Kiambu County, on June 14, 2026.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
“Orengo has settled on LDP as a vehicle he can use to negotiate with the Ukombozi Alliance or Linda Mwananchi on behalf of Nyanza,” one source said.
The development follows a series of conspicuous absences that had fuelled questions about the governor’s political direction.
Mr Orengo attended the September 21 rebranding of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition as the Ukombozi Alliance. He was subsequently named chairman of the coalition, according to reports published after the meeting.
But five days later, he was absent from the Linda Mwananchi retreat that endorsed Mr Sifuna. He also skipped a Narok rally attended by Acting Jubilee Party Leader Fred Matiang’i and People’s Party of Kenya leader Ndindi Nyoro.
His absence from the opposition meetings became more significant because Mr Orengo had previously been positioning himself as a potential presidential contender within Linda Mwananchi.
The movement grew from rallies in Busia, Kitengela, Kakamega, Narok, Mombasa and Kisumu before expanding to other counties, but lacked an electoral vehicle.
Efforts to register Linda Mwananchi as a political vehicle encountered obstacles at the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, prompting discussions about whether the movement should operate through one party or a coalition of parties.
According to sources, Mr Orengo favoured a single party that could be popularised nationally and used to field candidates for parliamentary and county seats.
The proposal, however, ran into competing interests among the movement’s senior figures, several of whom already controlled political parties.
Mr Orengo’s preference for a single party was later confirmed by Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, who said the governor had advocated a movement party rather than a coalition of parties.
Siaya Governor James Orengo speaks to journalists at Kisumu International Airport on June 21, 2026.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation Media Group
“If Orengo had been in the meeting, maybe he should have probably said he had a party too,” Dr Khalwale said on NTV, adding that he saw no problem with Mr Orengo seeking the presidency or leadership of a party.
The governor’s allies have also complained that the Luo community risks being marginalised in the opposition’s emerging leadership structure.
Pauline Njoroge, a Linda Mwananchi supporter, has argued that the coalition’s top decision-making organ should remain lean and comprise leaders with national influence and substantial regional support.
She proposed Mr Sifuna, Rigathi Gachagua, Kalonzo Musyoka and Dr Matiang’i as the coalition’s principal leaders, leaving out Mr Orengo and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.
Mr Orengo’s decision to establish a separate political vehicle therefore comes as opposition groups attempt to consolidate competing presidential ambitions into a single ticket.
The Siaya governor must now balance his call for opposition unity with building a platform for 2027 negotiations.
