“Oparanya, I respect you greatly, but today I have come to Sabatia to ask for your vote.”

By Cantona Joseph August 08, 2026 15:24 (EAT)

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Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has asked former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya to bless his political journey as the Linda Mwananchi team took its grassroots mobilisation campaign to Kakamega on Saturday.

Speaking during a rally in Sabatia, Sifuna sent a special message to Oparanya, whom he described as a father who had nurtured him through the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

“Oparanya, I respect you greatly, but today I have come to Sabatia to ask for your vote. If you support Sifuna, we will not lose,” Sifuna said.

He asked Oparanya to support his political ambitions even if the former governor did not agree with his decision, stressing that he was only seeking his blessing.

“I am asking you to bless me as I embark on this journey, even if you do not agree with me. Just your blessing, not money. I am not asking you for anything else. I know you, too, hear the cries of the people,” he said.

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna in Sabatia/X/EDWIN SIFUNA

Sifuna’s appeal came as Linda Mwananchi leaders, led by the Nairobi senator, Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya and Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, intensified their grassroots mobilisation in Western Kenya.

The team arrived in Kakamega after holding a morning meeting over tea before embarking on a series of engagements with residents.

Their convoy made its first stop in Sabatia, where the leaders interacted with residents and addressed a gathering.

The team was met by a sizeable crowd as it continued its mobilisation drive in the region, where the leaders are seeking to build grassroots support ahead of the 2027 general election.

According to the team’s schedule, the leaders are expected to proceed to Isulu Market and Shinyalu Market later during the day before holding a major rally in Kakamega Central Business District.

The Kakamega tour is part of a wider grassroots mobilisation campaign by Linda Mwananchi, which has increasingly taken the group to different parts of Western Kenya.

The team was in Busia County on Friday, where its leaders also held engagements with residents as they continued their outreach.

The visits are aimed at expanding the group’s presence at the grassroots and engaging voters on issues affecting them ahead of the 2027 polls.

Oparanya, who served as Kakamega governor for two terms, remains a prominent political figure in the region and has been closely associated with broad-based political arrangements and activities in Western Kenya.

The leader has in the recent past emerged as one of the names being floated for the position of Ruto’s running mate in the 2027 polls.

The former Kakamega governor served as ODM’s deputy party leader before joining President William Ruto’s Cabinet.

His potential candidacy has also received public backing from some leaders, including ODM National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed, who has endorsed Oparanya as a suitable candidate for Ruto’s running mate.

Junet has cited Oparanya’s political experience, administrative record and influence in the Western region as factors that make him well placed to occupy the country’s second-highest office.