Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna's presidential quest got support from leaders at massive rallies in Trans Nzoia County on Saturday, where calls for Opposition unity intensified.
Sifuna said repeatedly that the country's Opposition leaders will unite behind a single presidential candidate to face President William Ruto in the 2027 General Election.
The outspoken politician, who was recently ousted from his secretary general position in the Orange Democratic Movement Party, said all politicians opposing Ruto's administration are keen not to split votes by presenting one flag bearer.
"The opposition will field one candidate to face (Ruto)," Sifuna told supporters at Sibanga in Trans Nzoia County during the Linda Mwananchi tour on Saturday.
He went ahead to note that the Opposition was actively engaging leaders from different regions to build a broad-based coalition ahead of the polls.
"Our Gusii brothers are with us. You people of Western, are you saying we should talk to the Kamba? Should we talk to the people of Mt Kenya?" he asked the crowd.
"Is there anyone you are saying we should not talk to apart from Kasongo? Let us all walk together in this journey until we meet Kasongo at the ballot."
In his view, defeating the Kenya Kwanza government would need unity among Opposition leaders and supporters across the country, regardless of political or regional affiliations.
The remarks came as the Linda Mwananchi movement held a series of rallies across Trans Nzoia County, attracting large crowds at several trading centres.
Sifuna was accompanied by Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale and other leaders allied to the movement.
Almost every speaker at the event called on Sifuna to go for the presidency because the region deserved the seat. Political leaders from the region such as Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Ford-Kenya leader Moses Wetang'ula were bashed repeatedly as retrogressive.
Earlier, Sifuna thanked Kenyans for financially supporting the movement through small public donations, saying the initiative was being sustained by ordinary citizens rather than wealthy financiers.
"They said we don't have money, but the paybill is bringing in money every day. I want to thank you for the many Sh10 contributions you have sent. We don't need Kasongo's money; we will walk with the power of the citizens," he said.
Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino called on residents of Western Kenya to rally behind the Linda Mwananchi Movement, saying it sought to address unemployment, the high cost of living and corruption.
"We have come to liberate the Western region. We want to save you from the shackles of oppression and corruption," Babu said, while questioning the government's record on youth employment and economic empowerment.
The Trans Nzoia tour is part of the Linda Mwananchi movement's nationwide mobilisation campaign as opposition leaders seek to expand their support base ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The grouping that broke away from the ODM Party has been holding public forums across the country focusing on governance, economic challenges, youth unemployment and the cost of living, while calling for greater opposition unity as political activity gathers momentum ahead of the next polls.
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