Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has delivered a blunt warning to members of Linda Mwananchi, demanding political loyalty and accusing some figures of trying to undermine the opposition movement from within. Speaking at a Linda Mwananchi rally in Meru County on August 30, Owino said the movement could not afford internal divisions as it positions itself ahead of the 2027 General Election. The MP declared that anyone joining the movement must fully support its agenda, warning those backing rival political interests that they should instead support President William Ruto. Babu Owino Demands Total Loyalty Owino said Linda Mwananchi had already established its political direction and would not accommodate individuals attempting to operate on both sides of the political divide.
He warned members against maintaining links with competing political camps while presenting themselves as supporters of the opposition movement.
“You came and found Linda Mwananchi continuing with its journey; you must therefore support whatever we are doing,” Owino said.
He added that members unwilling to fully back the movement should support Ruto rather than create divisions within the opposition.
“We won't allow any character who wants to have a foot in Linda Mwananchi and the other outside,” he stated. Sifuna Gets Babu's Full Backing Owino also used the rally to dismiss claims that he has been reluctant to support Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna's political ambitions.
The Embakasi East MP, who has previously indicated his interest in the presidency in 2032, declared that he fully supports Sifuna for the 2027 contest.
Owino said his long political association with Sifuna had given him an understanding of the senator that few other members of the movement possess.
“I am supporting Edwin Sifuna. No one in Linda Mwananchi knows him more than I,” he said. “We have endured a lot together in ODM until where we are today. I am with him 100 per cent.”
The declaration comes as opposition politics become increasingly competitive, with multiple figures positioning themselves for the 2027 presidential race. Orengo's Presidential Bid Complicates Opposition Politics Owino's remarks come days after Siaya Senator James Orengo, a co-principal in Linda Mwananchi, announced that he would also seek the presidency in 2027.
Orengo's declaration has added another layer of competition within a movement that is yet to settle on a single presidential candidate.
The veteran politician has presented his long political experience and historical links to Kenya's opposition movement as part of his case for seeking the country's top office.
The competing ambitions could test whether Linda Mwananchi can maintain unity while accommodating politicians with different presidential interests. Babu Takes Aim at Political Bloggers Owino also turned his attention to bloggers covering opposition politics, demanding that they openly declare their political allegiance.
He argued that bloggers supporting the government should not simultaneously portray themselves as opposition voices while covering or promoting Linda Mwananchi activities.
“And if you are a blogger, you cannot be a government blogger, and then the opposition blogger, you must take a stand,” Owino said.
The remarks underline the increasingly combative political environment ahead of the 2027 elections, with politicians seeking to control both the movement's internal direction and the narrative surrounding the opposition. Linda Mwananchi Faces Unity Test Babu's warning exposes one of the biggest challenges facing Linda Mwananchi: maintaining unity as individual leaders begin positioning themselves for the 2027 presidential contest.
With Sifuna and Orengo emerging as potential presidential contenders, and Owino already looking beyond 2027, the movement faces a delicate balancing act.
Its leaders must now demonstrate whether Linda Mwananchi can remain a united opposition platform or become another battleground for competing presidential ambitions. For Owino, the message from Meru was unmistakable: support the movement fully, or get out of the way.
