Nairobi, Kenya | September 15, 2026

Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has announced that he will scale back his participation in Linda Mwananchi rallies as he intensifies preparations for his Nairobi gubernatorial bid ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Owino, however, has dismissed suggestions that his reduced participation signals a political fallout with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, saying he remains supportive of Sifuna’s presidential ambitions despite the two pursuing different elective positions.

Speaking on Tuesday, Owino said his decision was primarily driven by the need to concentrate on Nairobi, where he intends to mount a campaign for the county’s top political seat.

He said Nairobi’s 85 wards require extensive grassroots mobilisation and that he therefore needs to dedicate more time to building support across the county.

Owino said he would continue participating in some Linda Mwananchi activities but would not be able to attend every rally because of his Nairobi campaign schedule.

The announcement comes two days after the Linda Mwananchi movement held a major rally in Nairobi, where Owino appeared alongside Sifuna and other opposition leaders.

Owino has continued to call for opposition unity and has backed Sifuna’s efforts to build support for a presidential bid ahead of the 2027 polls.

He has rejected claims of jealousy or disagreements between him and Sifuna, maintaining that their political cooperation remains intact.

The decision comes as Linda Mwananchi continues to develop its political strategy ahead of the 2027 elections, with its leaders conducting mobilisation activities in different parts of the country.

Owino has also said he already has a political party that he intends to retain as he pursues the Nairobi governorship. He has argued that political cooperation does not necessarily require leaders to abandon their individual parties.

The position highlights the different political ambitions within the wider opposition landscape, with Owino focusing on the Nairobi governorship while continuing to associate with Linda Mwananchi and support Sifuna’s national ambitions.

Despite shifting more of his attention to Nairobi, Owino has maintained that opposition unity will be important in efforts to challenge President William Ruto’s administration in the next election.

His focus will now turn increasingly to Nairobi, where he will seek to expand his support beyond Embakasi East and build a countywide campaign for the governorship.

As the 2027 General Election approaches, Owino’s efforts to balance his Nairobi gubernatorial ambitions with his continued political cooperation with Linda Mwananchi and Sifuna will remain part of the evolving opposition landscape.