In a fiery rebuttal to claims of state sponsorship, the Suba South MP insists the teargas-choked "Linda Mwananchi" rally was an organic uprising of Kenya's youth, exposing the widening fissures within ODM.

The streets of Kitengela turned into a battleground on Sunday, February 15, 2026, but the real war is being fought in the corridors of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). As teargas smoke drifted over the "Linda Mwananchi" rally, Suba South MP Caroli Omondi emerged not just as a participant, but as the primary defender of the event's legitimacy.

Facing accusations from rival factions—specifically from Mumias East MP Peter Salasya—that the rally was a government-funded charade designed to fracture the opposition, Omondi played the ultimate trump card of modern Kenyan politics: Gen Z.

"Planned by Gen Z, Not the State"

Omondi's assertion that the rally was "organised and planned by Gen Z" is a calculated move to insulate the rebel faction from charges of betrayal. By framing the event as a youth-led initiative, he attempts to bypass the rigid party structures that have recently ostracized him and his allies, including Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.

"This was not a stage-managed affair," Omondi told reporters, countering the narrative spun by Salasya. "The youth of Kitengela demanded a platform. We merely answered the call."

The ODM Civil War

The Kitengela chaos is a microcosm of the existential crisis facing ODM. On one side stands the "rebel" faction—Omondi, Sifuna, Orengo, and Owino—who are increasingly vocal against what they see as the party's drift into complacency or co-optation by the Ruto administration. On the other, the orthodox wing that views these rallies as insubordination.

• The Sifuna Factor: The disputed ouster of Edwin Sifuna as Secretary General has galvanized a loyalist base that sees him as a martyr for party democracy.
• The Salasya Allegation: Peter Salasya's claim that the teargas was "oiled by the government" to create fake martyrs suggests a level of paranoia that threatens to paralysis the opposition.
• The Ground Reality: Regardless of who funded it, the turnout in Kitengela proves that the "Linda Mwananchi" message resonates with a populace weary of economic hardship.

A Dangerous Game

Invoking "Gen Z" is a double-edged sword. The organic, leaderless protests of 2024 proved that this demographic cannot be easily corralled or claimed by politicians. If Omondi and his cohort are merely using the youth as a human shield for their political ambitions, the backlash could be severe.

For now, Kitengela has drawn the battle lines. The opposition is no longer just fighting the government; it is fighting itself, with the youth caught in the crossfire.