Linda Mwananchi has officially declared Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna as its presidential flagbearer following a retreat that reunited key movement leaders, among them Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.
In the retreat held on Saturday, Sifuna and his allies convened a roundtable discussion to consolidate the movement’s political direction ahead of next year’s polls.
In a statement issued after the meeting, Linda Mwananchi’s leadership said it had resolved to move forward united in “answering the call of Kenyans seeking better governance and rescuing our country from the grave failures of the current administration.”
The statement confirmed that Sifuna is now the movement’s leader and presidential candidate, with plans for him to unveil the party under which he will run in early October. The movement also committed to building a coalition with like-minded parties.
Sifuna has steadily emerged as the face of Linda Mwananchi and had already publicly signaled his presidential ambitions before Saturday’s formal endorsement.
The move comes as debate continues within the broader opposition over who should lead a joint presidential ticket in 2027. Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, the movement’s spokesperson, had earlier indicated that Linda Mwananchi would first settle on Sifuna as its candidate before opening talks with other opposition groups about a wider coalition.
That position was reinforced by Kabuchai MP Majimbo Kalasinga, who said earlier in the week that the movement had already settled on Sifuna, rejecting claims of an unresolved internal contest.
Meanwhile, Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya said Sifuna is expected to run on the United Democratic Party (UDP) ticket. DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa echoed this, saying UDP remains available to Sifuna and pledging support should the opposition unite behind his candidacy.
The developments come as opposition parties race to finalize their structures ahead of the 2027 polls, with statutory deadlines looming for submitting officials and nomination documents to electoral authorities.
