Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma has dismissed the Linda Mwananchi movement as a political formation associated with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and former President Uhuru Kenyatta, accusing the two of seeking to weaken and split the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking in an interview on NTV on Monday, the Homa Bay Town legislator said the movement's visibility was largely being amplified through the media and social media rather than reflecting strong grassroots support.
“Linda Mwananchi is just Gachagua-Uhuru formation to try, you know, split ODM, which they will not succeed to do,” he claimed.
He described the movement as “very good with the media and social media”, arguing that its prominence online should not be mistaken for a significant political base.
“You may think they're there. They're not there. We are least bothered,” Kaluma said.
His remarks come a day after former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua said he was willing to deputise Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna if opposition leaders concluded that the senator offered the strongest chance of defeating President William Ruto in 2027 polls.
“Even I, Riggy G, can deputise Sifuna. There is nothing wrong with that,” he said while addressing Kenyans in Spokane, Washington on Sunday.
He also said Sifuna could deputise him or Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, depending on the political arithmetic.
Sifuna has been associated with Linda Mwananchi, a political mobilisation platform that has emerged as part of efforts by opposition figures to organise ahead of the 2027 election.
The movement has featured prominently in political activities involving Sifuna and other leaders critical of President Ruto, although its precise organisational and party structure remains part of the evolving opposition realignment.
Kaluma dismissed suggestions that the movement represented a serious threat to ODM, predicting that its influence would diminish as the election approaches.
“It is about one month to two months, and you will see them all go back,” he said.
He challenged those backing Sifuna's presidential ambitions to wait until party nominations, saying he would be willing to be proved wrong if the senator emerged as a presidential candidate.
“Call me here, when the nominations are over, and Edwin Sifuna is not even a presidential candidate,” he said.
Kaluma maintained that despite political defections and new formations, ODM's traditional support base remained intact.
“Very intact,” he said when asked whether the party was losing ground to rival formations.
He said any growing acceptance of President Ruto in traditionally ODM areas should instead be viewed in the context of the proposed ODM-UDA coalition, which he said had already endorsed President Ruto as its presidential candidate.
Linda Mwananchi emerged from the fall out within the Orange Democratic Movement over the party's political direction and its decision to work with President William Ruto’s administration.