Babu Owino Puts Alleged Moles in Linda Mwananchi on Notice

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino warned those he suggests are moles, who are gravitating toward Linda Mwananchi with malicious intent.

Speaking in Meru on on Sunday, August 30, Babu reassured Nairobi senator Babu Owino of his support as a presidential candidate, noting that those who seem to sabotage their movement will not be tolerated.

The MP did not name whom he was directing his remarks at, but the message was unmistakably pointed.

He affirmed his backing for Sifuna, framing it around a shared political journey that stretches back years within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

He said their history together gave him a unique standing to vouch for Sifuna's commitment to the cause.

"I am supporting Edwin Sifuna. No one in Linda Mwananchi knows him better than I do. We have endured a lot together in ODM until where we are today. I am with him 100%," he said.

The legislator then turned his attention to what he described as efforts by unnamed individuals to sabotage the movement from within.

He was categorical that such attempts would not be tolerated, asserting that Linda Mwananchi would neither be derailed nor cowed by outside interference.

Babu also took aim at what he suggested was divided loyalty among some within the movement's ranks, insisting that anyone associated with Linda Mwananchi must commit to it fully or step aside altogether.

He drew a hard line between genuine allies and those he implied were serving competing interests, going as far as invoking President William Ruto's camp as the alternative destination for anyone unwilling to fully commit.

Babu was equally firm on the question of loyalty, warning that half-hearted involvement would not be accepted within the movement's ranks.

"You came and found Linda Mwananchi continuing with its journey; you must therefore support whatever we are doing. If you want to support us, do it 100%, otherwise go support Ruto. We won't allow any character who wants to have a foot in Linda Mwananchi and the other outside," he said.

He also restated the movement's broader political ambition, suggesting Sifuna's leadership as central to opposition unity ahead of the next electoral cycle.

He called on fellow opposition figures to consolidate around Sifuna, positioning him as the movement's preferred candidate with sights set on the presidency. "

We want to take Sifuna to State House, and I want all of us in the opposition to rally behind Sifuna," he said.

Babu's remarks come against the backdrop of ongoing questions over cohesion within Linda Mwananchi, with Siaya governor James Orengo having recently declared that he would be a presidential candidate in the 2027 general election.

Speaking at a funeral in Homa Bay County on August 28, Orengo noted that he remains the seniormost elected politician in the country, and by virtue, he can't play second fiddle to those he suggested are inexperienced politicians who joined the political scene much later than him.

The county boss has been positioning himself as the Linda Mwananchi go-to leader, his stance seeming to unsettle those rallying behind Sifuna.