Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has reaffirmed his support for Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s 2027 presidential bid, despite disagreements within the Linda Mwananchi movement over the political party to use in the election.
Owino spoke on Friday, September 18, 2026, while attending the funeral of Jeremiah Kisero in Central Nyakach, Kisumu County.
Babu Proposes Two-Party Coalition
Owino said his political relationship with Sifuna remains intact despite the disagreement over Linda Mwananchi’s political vehicle.
He proposed a coalition involving The Mwananchi Party and the Ukombozi People’s Party, with both retaining their identities while operating under the wider Linda Mwananchi umbrella.
Under the proposal, Sifuna would pursue his presidential ambitions through Ukombozi, while Owino would retain leadership of The Mwananchi Party.
Owino said the two parties could later work together through a coalition instead of forcing one political vehicle to absorb the other.
Why the Party Dispute Emerged
The disagreement centres on which political party should carry Linda Mwananchi into the 2027 General Election.
Owino has said he secured his political party before Linda Mwananchi was formed and does not want it absorbed into another vehicle.
Meanwhile, Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has backed Ukombozi as the vehicle for Sifuna’s presidential bid. The competing positions have led to public reports of tensions within the movement.
Owino Maintains Support for Sifuna
Despite the differences, Owino has rejected suggestions that the party dispute has ended his political relationship with Sifuna.
He has described Sifuna as a political ally and said he will continue supporting his presidential ambitions.
Owino has also been scaling back his participation in some Linda Mwananchi activities as he focuses more on his political activities in Nairobi. However, he has maintained that this does not amount to withdrawing support for Sifuna.
Linda Mwananchi and 2027
The disagreement comes as Linda Mwananchi seeks to establish its political structure ahead of the 2027 elections.
For now, Owino’s proposal offers a coalition model in which different parties retain their identities while working under a broader political arrangement.
The final political structure and party vehicle for the movement’s 2027 campaign remain subject to further negotiations.
