"Tumechoka kupangwa": Win for Sifuna as several ODM members join Linda Mwananchi
This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.
- A group of ODM members from Kwale publicly abandoned the party and announced they were joining Edwin Sifuna's Linda Mwananchi movement
- The members cited frustration with oppressive leadership and claimed they had been manipulated within ODM for too long
- One speaker at the gathering hinted that Linda Mwananchi would formally announce its party structure soon, calling on former ODM members to return and register
A faction of Orange Democratic Movement members from Kwale county has publicly severed ties with the party, declaring their allegiance to the Linda Mwananchi movement associated with Nairobi governor Edwin Sifuna, who was recently removed as ODM secretary general.
The defections were captured in a video shared by K24 on Thursday, August 20, 2026, in which several members took turns addressing a gathering to explain their decision to leave ODM and throw their support behind Sifuna's emerging political vehicle.
Kwale members cite oppression and manipulation
One of the speakers framed the shift in political terms, drawing a colourful analogy to drive the point home.
"The time for reforms in Kenya has come, and no matter how much you resist, if it's diarrhea it will come out, and if it's a pregnancy it will be born. The person who will liberate us is none other than Sifuna," the member said.
Another member directed sharp criticism at those who remained in ODM, saying their conduct had undermined the party.
"You have completely killed ODM because of your actions. We, the people of the Coast, are gentle, but we do not like being oppressed," the member said.
A third speaker addressed concerns about the movement's readiness on the ground. She stated that "we are tired of being manipulated every day, and that's why we have told Sifuna's big team up there that we are down here, and when they come, they should not worry."
Is Sifuna's party ready?
Another speaker invoked the legacy of ODM's founding figures, including the late party patriarch Raila Odinga and Siaya governor James Orengo, to justify the group's new direction.
"Under the leadership of Governor James Orengo, he has held us together as youth. We say that if a father dies, a younger father-figure can lead us. We are good students of Raila Odinga, may his soul continue resting in peace," the member said.
She added that the party would make a formal announcement soon and that former ODM members who left under difficult circumstances would be welcomed back.
Sifuna's falling out with ODM
Sifuna was ousted as ODM secretary general following a prolonged dispute with the party's leadership over his opposition to the broad-based arrangement between ODM and President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
His differences with the party became more pronounced following the death of Raila in October 2025, after which he declined to back the alignment that a section of ODM leaders supported.
Since his removal, Sifuna has positioned Linda Mwananchi as a reform-oriented movement, attracting members who are discontented with both ODM's current direction and the broader political establishment.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.