Barely six months after its emergence, the Linda Mwannachi movement is beginning to show signs of internal strain.
According to insiders, competing visions over leadership, strategy and political alliances are increasingly threatening to pull the movement in different directions, raising questions about whether it can maintain a united front that initially made it attractive to many young Kenyans.
On Friday, Saboti MP Caleb Amisi publicly criticised the direction the movement appears to be taking.
Amisi has faulted the faction associated with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, arguing that Linda Mwananchi risks repeating mistakes made by previous opposition coalitions by focusing too heavily on alliances with established politicians instead of building an independent political movement.
While Sifuna has consistently maintained that defeating President William Ruto requires cooperation among all opposition forces, Amisi believes history offers a different lesson.
According to the Saboti legislator, coalition politics in Kenya has repeatedly collapsed at critical moments, leaving supporters disappointed while strengthening the incumbent.
Instead, he has urged Linda Mwananchi to concentrate on mobilising young people and building what he describes as a revolutionary political party with its own identity and structures.
Without such a strategy, Amisi has warned Linda Mwannchi could easily lose momentum before 2027.
”I want to use Sifuna’s words, who told you that United opposition will be united up the ballot. Who told you? Don’t just be someone who jumps on anything. We have been these politics, and we have seen a lot in this country. We were in NASA then others left, we walked as Azimio and others joined Ruto the last minute.”
”We were with Kalonzo when we wanted to remove Kibaki and he went the other way. And they are the same players. So I’m telling you, who told you that the united opposition will still be united and is for one-term agenda? Don’t be a fool. This is politics,” Amisi said.
His remarks have brought into the open what insiders describe as a wider debate that has been simmering within the outfit for weeks.
At the centre of the debate is the question of who ultimately provides political direction, with two influential camps increasingly emerging.
One is associated with Siaya Governor James Orengo and
the other revolves around Senator Edwin Sifuna, who has been positioning himself to be the movement’s face, particularly among younger supporters.
Orengo’s camp has openly declared that the governor should be Linda Mwananchi’s presidential candidate in 2027, arguing that his experience, legal background and long record in opposition politics make him best placed to lead the outfit nationally.
But another faction insists the future belongs to Sifuna.
Within that camp, the Nairobi Senator is increasingly being presented not only as the face of Linda Mwananchi but also as its preferred presidential candidate should the movement field one in 2027.
The rivalry has reportedly begun affecting the movement’s activities.
Political insiders familiar with the discussions say tensions contributed to the cancellation of Linda Mwananchi’s planned Kisii rally this week after disagreements emerged over leadership and programme arrangements.
The same sources also point to Sifuna’s absence from Thursday’s demonstrations as another indication that internal differences remain unresolved.
Another issue increasingly dividing Linda Mwananchi is its relationship with impeached former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and his DCP party.
On this question, there appears to be no common position.
Sifuna has previously indicated a willingness to engage with all political players opposed to President Ruto, including Gachagua, if such cooperation advances broader opposition unity.
But that position is not universally shared.
Governor Orengo is understood to be among leaders uncomfortable with joining hands with Gachagua. His reservations are hardly surprising.
Orengo served as the Senate’s lead counsel during Gachagua’s impeachment proceedings in October 2024 and has consistently been associated with a different political philosophy from that championed by the former Deputy President.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has also emerged as one of the strongest voices opposing any association with DCP, Rigathi Gachagua’s party.
His opposition is driven by both political principle and practical electoral calculations.
Babu has repeatedly criticised DCP over what he describes as ethnic mobilisation in Nairobi politics.
The disagreement became more pronounced last month after DCP declared it intends to field Embakasi North MP James Gakuya for the Nairobi governor’s seat in 2027, arguing that it is time for the city to elect a Kikuyu governor.
That position directly pits the party against Babu, who has already positioned himself as a leading contender for the governorship under the Linda Mwananchi banner.
For some within the movement, embracing Gachagua while simultaneously competing against DCP in key races risks sending contradictory signals to voters.
The disagreements are exposing a broader challenge confronting Linda Mwananchi.
Unlike traditional political parties with established constitutions and clear leadership structures, Linda Mwananchi remains an evolving coalition bringing together individuals with different histories, ambitions and ideological perspectives.
As the 2027 succession debate gathers pace, those differences are becoming increasingly difficult to manage.
