Despite coordinated attempts to sabotage access routes with massive boulders, the ‘Linda Mwananchi’ movement pressed ahead with a high-stakes political rally in Nyandiwa, Homa Bay County, on Sunday.
Addressing a fired-up crowd, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna delivered a sharp rebuke against political rivals, reaffirming the enduring solidarity between the Luo Nyanza and Luhya communities while fiercely defending civil liberties, democracy, and the rule of law.
The rally unfolded against a backdrop of escalating political hostility and civil unrest across the county. Just hours before the event, main transit routes leading into Homa Bay town were found heavily barricaded with large stones, stranding motorists and disrupting transportation.
Sifuna commended the local residents of Nyandiwa for mobilizing swiftly to clear the makeshift blockades, declaring that no amount of state-backed intimidation or political sabotage could halt their movement.
This transport blockade followed a violent night incident where suspected gang members raided the Homa Bay Tourist Hotel, ransacking office equipment, destroying property, and fleeing on motorcycles before detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrived at the scene.
Standing alongside key allies including Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Siaya Governor James Orengo, Sifuna dismissed state-sponsored propaganda aimed at driving a wedge between former Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) partners. Expressing gratitude to supporters for standing by him during his nine-year tenure as ODM Secretary General, Sifuna vowed that the political coalition representing the Mulembe and Luo Nyanza regions would remain unbreakable.
He urged citizens to stay true to the foundational democratic principles championed by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, warning against political narratives that prioritize infrastructure development while turning a blind eye to police brutality and human rights abuses.
Addressing his rift with the current administration, Sifuna pointed to the tragic death of blogger Albert Ojwang while in police custody in June as the ultimate breaking point in his relationship with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) regime.
Firmly rejecting claims that Homa Bay remains a stronghold for President William Ruto, the Nairobi Senator declared that the ‘Linda Mwananchi’ tour across the country revealed widespread disillusionment with the government.
He extended an open invitation to all pro-democracy advocates to join forces with his movement, pledging that a leadership anchored on justice would never unleash security forces to terrorize the youth.
While the government maintains that all political outfits hold the constitutional right to assemble, the charged atmosphere in Nyandiwa signals an intensifying battle for political dominance in the region ahead of the 2027 General Election.
