Edwin Sifuna is building grassroots contacts ahead of the planned Kwale rally.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has met Kwale leaders and aspirants ahead of an October 31 rally to expand the movement’s grassroots reach.
Linda Mwananchi plans to hold a public rally in Kwale County on Saturday, October 31, ahead of the 2027 General Election. The gathering follows preliminary meetings between Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, local leaders and political aspirants.
The movement seeks to expand its grassroots presence and strengthen contacts with organisers outside Nairobi. It also held a major gathering at Jacaranda Grounds in September as part of its political mobilisation.
Linda Mwananchi prepares for Kwale rally
Sifuna met interim office officials, sub-county and ward representatives, and aspirants from Kwale on September 25. Those engagements came as he concluded a Coast tour that also included meetings in Kilifi County.
During the visit, the senator acknowledged that he had not met everyone who wanted to engage with him. However, he assured those he missed that he would return for further discussions.
The October rally will give the movement another opportunity to engage residents and explain its political agenda. It also follows efforts to build local networks linking prospective candidates with grassroots organisers before the next election.
Former ODM supporters back movement
The planned return comes after some Kwale ODM supporters announced in August that they were leaving the party. The group publicly backed Linda Mwananchi and Sifuna’s emerging political platform at Ukunda Showground on August 20.
They cited dissatisfaction with the prevailing political direction and called for greater accountability from leaders. They also criticised the broad-based political arrangement involving ODM and President William Ruto’s administration.
In their view, that arrangement did not adequately address the concerns of ordinary residents.
Among those associated with the shift was former nominated Kwale MCA Bijuma N’kale, popularly known as Najma Wangu. She coordinates the movement’s activities in the county and is seeking the woman representative seat.
Former Msambweni Constituency ODM chairman Mambo Kwa Wakati also declared his support for the movement. He has adopted the name Potelea Mbali and argued that Kwale needed a different political direction.
Grassroots outreach ahead of 2027
Meanwhile, Sifuna’s Kwale engagements form part of wider efforts to bring together local leaders and aspirants across the country. His meetings come amid discussions on opposition unity, party structures and possible electoral alliances.
Within ODM, rival camps continue to advance competing positions on the party’s direction and relationship with the Kenya Kwanza administration. Linda Mwananchi, meanwhile, presents itself as a platform for leadership change and greater attention to ordinary Kenyans’ concerns.
However, the scale of its support in Kwale remains unclear. The planned rally will provide a further indication of its ability to mobilise residents beyond its existing local contacts.
