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The Linda Mwananchi leaders, led by Siaya Governor James Orengo and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna address the meeting amid high tension as police are trying to gain access to discontinue the meeting.
The Linda Mwananchi political faction has rolled out multiple-pronged strategies designed to endear its leaders to voters ahead of 2027 polls.
Part of the grand plan by the camp led by ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna include mapping out the country and coming up with specific policy issues that resonates with each region.
This strategy was deployed during the camp’s well-attended Tononaka rallies, with the leaders speaking to the historical land issues in the region. The plan is to avoid responding or making reference to the rival faction, Linda Ground, under ODM party leader Oburu Oginga.
The camp is also working on setting up a nerve centre that will be tasked with resource-mobilisation, crafting strategies and messaging as well as providing linkages with other players.
Linda Mwananchi leaders at a rally in Tononoka grounds.
The coordination centre, which will function as the secretariat of the new outfit, will be led by the ousted ODM co-deputy party leader Godfrey Osotsi as the coordinator.
According to insiders, Linda Mwananchi has moved to have Mr Osotsi to coordinate the outfit’s activities at a time when the group has been making serious political inroads across the country.
So far, Linda Mwananchi has held rallies in Kitengela, Kajiado County; Kakamega, Narok and Mombasa Counties drawing huge numbers in the process.
“We have been receiving overwhelming public interest in our activities with many requests for people to provide support materially, technically and financially. We have seen it fit to have someone with Osotsi’s wide political knowledge and experience to manage such processes,” said the source.
The coordinator, who will be assuming administration and managerial role, will be charged with resource mobilisation, working behind the scenes to concretise the outfit’s messaging, crafting strategies and providing linkage with various groups working for Linda Mwananchi.
The team, which mirrors a think tank, will be reporting directly to the outfit’s principals – who will consider their report before approval.
“Senator Osotsi’s first role was organising the successful Tononoka rally in Mombasa County which was characterised by order and coherent messaging around issues bedeviling Coastal people. He will next be expected to set up a coordination centre and a retreat for the leaders.”
Historical injustices
During the Tononaka rally, the leaders focused on addressing issues affecting the locals. Mr Sifuna questioned President William Ruto’s commitment in implementing reforms in land ownership.
He claimed the administration seems to protect wealthy people in possession of large tracts of land at the absence of landless locals.
“Land occupied by wealthy people is what locals are looking for. The fragmented title deeds will not help. We want titles for absentee landlords to be distributed to youth,” said Mr Sifuna.
Suba South MP Caroli Omondi said that the Linda Mwananchi movement would ensure that residents of the Coastal region benefit from their natural resources.
“We will revoke all illegal mining licenses in this region so that local communities can benefit.”
Senator Osotsi likened the political support Linda Mwananchi is currently enjoying to the public goodwill Narc had in 2002, while admitting change of strategy by the faction.
“We are improving with every meeting and the messaging will become even better due to the overwhelming technical support from resourceful Kenyans,” Mr Osotsi told Nation.
“The public goodwill from all cadres of Kenyans is very encouraging. I have not seen this kind of goodwill since 2002 that brought in the Narc government. We thank Kenyans for the support as we build a huge political machine.”
Before becoming a senator, Mr Osotsi was the inaugural secretary-general of Amani National Congress party which nominated him to Parliament in 2017 as a Member of National Assembly.
Under his stewardship, the outfit – then led by Musalia Mudavadi, managed to secure 14 seats in the National Assembly and three seats in the Senate, a governor and 80 members of county assembly.
The party was part of the National Super Alliance (Nasa) coalition, supporting the late Raila Odinga's presidential bid.
Nasa leader Raila Odinga on September 7, 2017 during a press conference at Okoa Kenya offices in Nairobi.
However, the lawmaker would part ways with ANC in the run up to the 2022 elections where he decamped to Mr Odinga’s ODM to contest the Vihiga senatorial seat.
He quickly earned the trust of the former prime minister who picked him over other more experienced leaders from Western Kenya to be one of the three deputy party leaders, despite having been with the party for just three years.
The senator is also serving as the chairperson of the Senate watchdog committee, County Public Investments and Special Funds committee.
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