Siaya Governor James Orengo was absent from a key Linda Mwananchi leadership retreat on Saturday, September 26, where the movement formally endorsed Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna as its presidential candidate for the 2027 General Election.
Orengo had previously expressed interest in competing for the Linda Mwananchi presidential ticket and had called for a credible nomination process to determine the movement’s flag bearer.
Members of the movement told the Daily Nation that Orengo had sent his apologies because he was attending to a sick family member, insisting that his absence should not be interpreted as a sign of division.
The retreat ended with Linda Mwananchi declaring Sifuna its leader and presidential candidate, while announcing plans to unveil the political party through which he will contest the presidency in early October.
The development comes just weeks after Orengo and Sifuna publicly pledged to work together to produce a single presidential candidate for the opposition movement.
Meanwhile, Orengo has taken on a new role in the wider opposition landscape. He recently replaced former President Uhuru Kenyatta as chairman of the Ukombozi Alliance Coalition Council, following the reorganisation of the coalition.
The changes have sparked fresh questions about how Orengo’s role in the Ukombozi Alliance will interact with the emerging Linda Mwananchi political project ahead of the 2027 elections.
While some reports have linked Orengo’s new role to the wider opposition realignment, there has been no official statement from him indicating that he has abandoned Linda Mwananchi or his earlier presidential ambitions.
For now, Sifuna has been formally positioned as Linda Mwananchi’s presidential candidate, while Orengo’s political role continues to evolve within the broader opposition coalition.
