ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has vehemently dismissed allegations that former President Uhuru Kenyatta is secretly funding the grassroots opposition movement challenging the current administration.

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has fiercely and publicly dismantled persistent, damaging rumors that former President Uhuru Kenyatta is the clandestine financial architect behind the disruptive Linda Mwananchi grassroots movement.

Speaking with uncompromising clarity during a candid morning interview on NTV Kenya, the vocal Nairobi Senator categorically rebuffed claims of secret political alliances and dark money. This defiant stance illuminates the rapidly widening ideological chasm within the Kenyan opposition, pitting Sifuna’s populist revolt directly against the establishment machinery of the broad-based government.

Setting the Record Straight

The political rumor mill went into overdrive following a highly successful Linda Mwananchi rally in Kakamega, an event that drew massive crowds and signaled a shift in western Kenya's political allegiance. Detractors immediately pointed fingers at the former Head of State. Sifuna, however, laid the rumors to rest, asserting he has held absolute zero political discussions with Uhuru Kenyatta.

He further clarified a common public misconception regarding his role. "People expected that because Sifuna is the SG of ODM, he is automatically a member of the council of Azimio. So I do not have information on what is happening in Azimio," Sifuna stated, drawing a hard boundary between his unwavering commitment to ODM and the ambiguous maneuverings of the broader coalition leadership.

The Economics of Linda Mwananchi

The accusations of elite financing were amplified by figures closely associated with President William Ruto's administration, including close aide Faruk Kibet, who publicly accused Kenyatta of funding the "illegal" meetings. Sifuna dismantled these claims by pointing to the brutal, unglamorous reality of grassroots organizing.

• The Linda Mwananchi movement relies almost exclusively on immense public goodwill and small-dollar contributions from ordinary citizens.
• Sifuna challenged his accusers by offering full transparency, promising a detailed breakdown of all expenses incurred during their regional tours.
• This financial independence is crucial to the movement's core message: it cannot be bought, silenced, or co-opted by state machinery.

The Battle for the Opposition's Soul

The struggle extends far beyond countering UDA narratives; it is fundamentally a battle for the soul of the ODM party itself. Sifuna's faction is in open conflict with the "Linda Ground" faction, led by party elder Dr. Oburu Oginga. As Sifuna marshaled forces in Kakamega, Oburu simultaneously held parallel rallies in Siaya, openly asking the Linda Mwananchi faction to leave the party.

This unprecedented internal warfare threatens to permanently fracture the political behemoth built by Raila Odinga. Sifuna, alongside allies like Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Siaya Governor James Orengo, insists that they are the true inheritors of Odinga's revolutionary spirit, standing firm against the co-optation of the opposition into Ruto's broad-based cabinet.

A Data-Driven Strategy for 2027

Sifuna is not merely interested in holding noisy rallies; he is engineering a structured takeover. He articulates a highly data-driven strategy to unseat President Ruto in the upcoming 2027 general elections. He insists that the crucial task of selecting a flagbearer must be rooted in hard analytics and verifiable regional support, decisively moving away from the toxic personality contests that have historically doomed opposition coalitions.

The Broader Political Landscape

Simultaneously, Sifuna continues his relentless critique of the administration's economic policies. He recently sounded the alarm over alleged irregularities in the energy sector, specifically citing suspicious ownership changes in the companies prospecting the lucrative Turkana Oil Field Development Plan. He warned Kenyans that these silent legislative maneuvers represent "Ruto's biggest scandal yet," designed to ensure the public never sees a single shilling of oil wealth.

"True political revolutions are financed by the sweat of the masses, not the shadowy vaults of retired presidents; Linda Mwananchi is betting its entire survival on this very premise," a political analyst noted.