Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and a section of Orange Democratic Movement leaders have revealed plans to begin Linda Mwananchi Tours.
The tour is set to start in Busia county on Sunday.
The initiative is expected to involve engagements with wananchi across different regions.
The Busia event features an extensive list of political leaders as guests, including Siaya Governor James Orengo.
The tour is intended as a multi-stop for grassroots engagement across key constituencies to engage ordinary Kenyans on governance, cost of living concerns and political direction ahead of the 2027 election cycle.
The organisers describe the tour as a direct response to the growing economic and political anxieties facing Kenyan households, with emphasis on listening to citizens’ voices and relaying those concerns to county and national platforms.
The branding “Linda Mwananchi” (protect the citizen) signals a commitment to prioritising ordinary voters’ concerns over elite political rhetoric, according to public posts tied to the initiative.
Beyond citizen engagement, the tour also serves a strategic positioning purpose for Sifuna, Owino and allied legislators in the broader political landscape.
As high-profile figures with strong followings in urban constituencies, especially Nairobi, the tour helps sustain their visibility and relevance ahead of party nominations and the general elections.
Their message is anchored on public accountability, economic justice, and a vision that they argue resonates with voters’ expectations.
The Linda Mwananchi Tour is taking shape against the backdrop of internal divisions within ODM.
The party’s leadership under Oburu Oginga and chairperson Gladys Wanga has been conducting a separate “Linda Ground” outreach in counties such as Kisumu, Kakamega and Busia, while Sifuna and Owino have been relatively absent from those rallies.
Sifuna, who is the ODM Secretary General, has publicly distanced himself from the funding and organisation of those party events, stating they were financed outside official party channels and that he was not involved in planning them.
ODM’s leadership dynamics have shifted since the passing of former party leader Raila Odinga, triggering debates about leadership direction, cooperation with the national government and how best to engage voters.
Internal criticisms and public commentary increasingly reflect these fault lines.
The tours seek to be a direct dialogue with voters on economic hardship, governance and accountability.
The faction has maintained a critical stance toward the current broad-based government alignment pursued by other ODM figures, reflecting divergent political strategies within the party.
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