Siaya Governor James Orengo (right) and ODM Edwin Sifuna address residents of Ugunja town during a public rally by Linda Mwananchi faction on February 8, 2026.
Silent but friendly supremacy battle between Siaya Governor James Orengo and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna over who is the de facto leader of the breakaway Linda Mwananchi faction has emerged.
Mr Orengo and Mr Sifuna are widely seen as the face of the group, with Embakasi East MP Babu Owino being overshadowed by the duo.
According to a TIFA survey released last week, Mr Sifuna is the most preferred candidate within the Linda Mwananchi camp and fourth nationally, polling at 10 percent.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Siaya Governor James Orengo at a past event.
Mr Owino, who was polling at eight percent in November last year, has seen his rating plummet to a mere two percent. The Embakasi legislator, however, has made it clear that he will be seeking to unseat Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja in 2027 and not vying for the presidency.
Mr Sifuna is also the most popular politician with origins from Western Kenya, with a 44 percent approval rating, according to the survey.
This suggests he has elbowed out seasoned politicians such as Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula, both of whom are backing President William Ruto’s re-election bid.
Over the weekend, Saboti MP Caleb Amisi fired the first salvo, declaring to both the Linda Mwananchi camp and the United Opposition that they would accept nothing less than an Edwin Sifuna presidency.
“The first thing is to rally the country around a generational call for change and Sifuna has come out as a star, let us give him an opportunity,” said the second-term ODM lawmaker.
Mr Amisi said the youth are banking on new faces to transform the country, not old guards who would only breed voter apathy.
“Some people are saying Linda Mwananchi should join the United Opposition and make Kalonzo and Gachagua become President. If it was like that, we would have announced that early and joined them.
“We want them to help us commit to the duty of our generation who don’t want the old people but the new people. Our Presidential candidate is none other than Edwin Sifuna,” added Mr Amisi while in Trans Nzoia County over the weekend.
The legislator has openly opposed Mr Orengo’s leadership in Linda Mwananchi, saying his politics do not inspire excitement among young people.
Speaking during the burial of Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka on Friday, Mr Sifuna portrayed himself as the leader of the Linda Mwananchi faction and said they were ready to work with the opposition in 2027.
Edwin Sifuna during the Linda Mwananchi Rally in Shamakhokho, Hamisi Sub-County, Vihiga County, on April 25, 2026.
The Nairobi Senator appears to have taken charge of the outfit, with his popularity also being boosted by what supporters describe as his alleged persecution within the ODM party.
Mr Orengo, on the other hand, has declared that he is ready to vie for the presidency in 2027. However, according to the TIFA survey, ODM leader Dr Oburu Oginga remains the most influential politician from Luo Nyanza region.
“Even when negotiating with President Ruto, it is only prudent that I do so as a Presidential candidate and tell him it is his seat I’m after. As Orengo, I’m very capable of being the president, how many affirm this?” he posed to a crowd at a rally in Katito Town, Kisumu County.
Mr Orengo and Dr Oginga have engaged in a bitter leadership row within ODM, with the former claiming the latter has failed to steer the party wisely and reconcile warring factions.
With Mr Sifuna’s growing popularity, questions have arisen over whether, in the final stages of the campaigns, he might backtrack and contest the Nairobi Senate seat instead, or whether he will marshal third-force support capable of denying the incumbent the required 50-plus-one vote.
Healthy competition
According to political analyst Prof Lumala Masibo, what is currently unfolding within Linda Mwananchi is a friendly and healthy competition as the outfit navigates the political landscape.
“By allowing competition, they are popularising the outfit as it brings expectations from both sets of supporters. It is the people who are saying Mr Sifuna should go for the top seat while Mr Orengo is fronting himself to fill the leadership vacuum in Nyanza and settle his political scores with Dr Oburu Oginga,” said Prof Masibo.
The political analyst says that based on recent developments, it is increasingly clear that Mr Sifuna is unlikely to vie for the Nairobi senatorial seat.
“Sifuna has since abandoned the ODM party colours and it will be easy for Linda Mwananchi to field him because he has a tag line and resonates with the masses. Vying for the senate will not be an option for him since with the current support, he is above that seat,” he added.
Prof Masibo believes that Mr Orengo and Mr Sifuna working together continues to weaken the Linda Ground faction while raising the political stakes of the Linda Mwananchi camp ahead of the 2027 polls.
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