Sifuna Defies Ouster with Third Stop of Anti-Ruto Tour in Kakamega

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna is set to escalate his “Linda Mwananchi” tour with a high-stakes third stop at Amalemba Grounds in Kakamega on February 22, 2026. Following a chaotic and teargas-filled rally in Kitengela that left one supporter dead, Sifuna has doubled down on his mission to rally the public against President William Ruto’s administration. Despite threats of disruption from both state machinery and internal ODM rivals, Sifuna has officially notified the police of the event, daring any authority or “goons” to block the assembly.

The rally comes at a time of unprecedented turmoil within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). Sifuna is currently fighting a controversial ouster attempt by a faction led by Oburu Oginga, which sought to replace him as Secretary General. In a show of grassroots defiance, his supporters have coined the slogan “Sisi Ndio Sifuna” (We are the Sifunas), signaling that the movement has outgrown the individual. Local boda boda riders in Kakamega have already reportedly organized themselves into protective units, vowing to act as a “people’s shield” for the Senator against any planned interference.

Adding a layer of local drama to the event is Mumias East MP Peter Salasya. The vocal legislator has taken to social media to vent his frustrations, accusing Sifuna’s faction of past personal insults and “political deception.” While Salasya has urged his constituents to attend the Amalemba rally to voice their grievances against the government, he has vowed to stay away himself. Salasya has previously alleged that Sifuna’s movement is a “smoke screen,” claiming that certain factions within the opposition are secretly working with the government—a claim Sifuna’s team has vehemently denied.

The Amalemba rally is being viewed by analysts as a litmus test for Sifuna’s national appeal and his ability to bypass traditional party structures. By aligning with “Young Turk” figures like Babu Owino and Godfrey Osotsi, Sifuna is positioning the “Linda Mwananchi” tour as the primary voice of dissent against the high cost of living and alleged state overreach. As the “Linda Mwananchi” caravan rolls into Kakamega, the primary question remains whether the ODM leadership can bridge its internal divide or if this rally marks the definitive birth of a new, autonomous opposition force.