The latest show of strength is expected on Sunday when the Linda Mwananchi movement stages a major rally in Nairobi.
Sifuna and his allies are seeking to reinforce their claim that the city is the natural base of the emerging political outfit.
Their rally comes just days after the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) brigade descended on Nairobi with a series of political rallies, signalling Gachagua's resolve to control Nairobi’s three million voters.
Leading the charge during the Wednesday’s Nairobi offensive was Nyandarua senator John Methu also earmarked for DCP Secretary General’s position.
The growing contest, however, is not limited to the two opposition formations.
The ruling UDA and its ODM partners are also quietly laying strategies aimed at retaining their influence in Nairobi, setting the stage for a potentially bruising four-way contest for political dominance.
In the last elections, ODM despite losing gubernatorial seat through the Jubilee candidate emerged the majority Party in the County Assembly.
The Orange Party also bagged both Senate and Woman Representative seats.
But according to University don Prof. Gitile Naituli, it will be a tall order for the ODM Party to retain even the seats it is currently holding.
“Once Luhyas and Kambas leave you, you cannot get seat in Nairobi. They (the two communities) are the ones who gave ODM muscles in Nairobi politics and now they are gone,” Prof. Naituli argues.
“Ruto’s UDA will not get any vote in Nairobi.”
The don however gives the City to both DCP and Sifuna’s Linda Mwananchi adding that Gachagua’s party will bag at least 10 of the 17 Parliamentary seats.
“Nairobi will go to DCP, a combination of DCP and Linda Mwananchi will see DCP retaining all the 10 seats held by the Kikuyu community while Sifuna takes the remaining seven currently held by Luos and Kambas,” he said.
Already DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua has declared a political takeover of Nairobi projecting the party as a major force in the capital after a spate of defections that has seen it raids both ruling UDA and Jubilee Party.
Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan (Jubilee), Amos Mwago (Starehe, Jubilee), Mark Mwenje (Embakasi West, Jubilee), James Gakuya (Embakasi North, UDA) and Benjamin Mejjadonk (Embakasi Central, UDA) have both shifted to DCP.
“I want to announce today the DCP takeover of Nairobi. I also want to say that the competition in Nairobi is among DCP, Wiper and Linda Mwananchi. Luckily, we are on the same side. Anything to do with Ruto and Oburu's ODM in Nairobi is finished,” Gachagua said last week.
The former DP added that DCP would field candidates in all 17 constituencies, noting that he is confident of winning at least 12 parliamentary seats while mounting a strong challenge for the remaining five.
“We will also have candidates for governor, senator and woman representative,” he said, while leaving the door open for negotiations with like-minded parties.
Of Nairobi's 85 wards, Gachagua said DCP is targeting victory in 62 and would fight for the remaining seats.
DCP leaders has been plotting an aggressive Nairobi takeover strategy, with Gachagua reportedly urging some of the party's gubernatorial hopefuls to consider shelving their ambitions in favour of a united candidate capable of boosting the party's chances of clinching the county's top seat.
Former Principal Secretary Irungu Nyakera, last month, announced he will vie for the Makadara Parliamentary seat on the DCP ticket.
Nyakera was initially the gubernatorial seat which has also attracted Embakasi North MP James Gakuya.
The move underlines the high stakes surrounding Nairobi, whose vast and cosmopolitan electorate makes it one of the most coveted political prizes in the country.
On the other side, Linda Mwananchi is equally determined to plant its flag firmly in the capital.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, movement leader, shared the announcement on his X account, accompanying it with the brief message, “Back to base.”
The Sifuna-led movement has consistently portrayed Nairobi as one of its strongest political bases, banking on the senator's popularity and an expanding grassroots network to mount a serious challenge in the next elections.
The Sunday’s rally at Jacaranda grounds is expected to offer Sifuna's team an opportunity to send a message to rivals that it intends to be a major player in the battle for the capital.
ODM is also not letting go of its traditional base, through the county chairman and Makadara MP George Aladwa the outfit has planned an aggressive campaign to maintain its seats, expand its influence and retain its dominance in Nairobi.
“As ODM Nairobi county, our immediate task is to build a stronger party ahead of 2027. We are determined to win as many elective seats as possible in Nairobi,” Aladwa said.
“We will strengthen our branches, activate ward structures and mobilise our supporters across the city. Our branch chairmen and grassroots officials must begin this work immediately.”
INSTANT ANALYSIS
The coming rallies are expected to provide the clearest indication yet of which political formations have the numbers, organisation and momentum needed to capture the imagination of the city's voters
