The ODM party has turned its guns on a splinter faction within the opposition, with Secretary General Edwin Sifuna alleging that the so-called "Linda Ground" rallies are being bankrolled by dark money intended to destabilize the party.

Sifuna’s accusation is authoritative and specific. He claims to have intelligence linking the lavish spending at these forums to external forces—likely state operatives—aiming to fragment the opposition base ahead of the 2027 cycle. "I can state authoritatively here that the money and the resources you see being spent... is not from the pockets of the organizers," Sifuna declared, throwing down the gauntlet to the organizers.

The Proxy War

The "Linda Ground" initiative, ostensibly a grassroots movement to protect local interests, is now being painted as a Trojan horse. Sifuna’s outburst suggests that ODM views these rallies not as genuine civic engagement but as a coordinated assault on its stronghold.

The political arithmetic is simple: if the ground shifts, the center cannot hold. By questioning the source of the financing, Sifuna is attempting to delegitimize the leaders of the initiative, framing them as guns-for-hire rather than patriots. It is a classic tactic to inoculate the party base against defection.

Follow the Money

The controversy raises critical questions about campaign finance and political sponsorship in Kenya.

• The Logistics: The rallies feature high-end sound systems, branding, and mobilization that cost millions.
• The Silence: The organizers of Linda Ground have yet to disclose their donors.
• The Implication: If the state is indeed funding opposition splinters, it signals a return to the divide-and-rule tactics of the KANU era.

As the political temperature rises, the demand for financial transparency is becoming a weapon. Sifuna has fired the first shot, but unless he names names, the "Linda Ground" caravan—and its mysterious backers—will likely keep rolling.