Mumias East Member of Parliament Peter Salasya has alleged that the Linda Mwananchi rallies headlined by Edwin Sifuna, Babu Owino and James Orengo are being funded by President William Ruto.
According to Salasya, the whole event was carefully planned to create an impression that Sifuna and his colleagues are anti-government while they are clandestinely working for Ruto.
In a statement on his social media accounts accompanied by a video on Monday, February 16, 2026, Salasya unpacked his views following yesterday’s events in which two factions of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) held parallel rallies in Kitengela and Tononoka Grounds, respectively.
“All these meetings ya Kitengela na ya Tononoka are being sponsored fully by the government na hakuna goon ametumwa hapo,” he said.
Verdict on Kitengela rally
Weighing in on the Kitengela rally that was attended by a sea of humanity, Salasya questioned the timing of the disruption, claiming that unleashing teargas after the politicians had given their speeches revealed that the whole rally was backed by the government.
“Kitengela analysis why teargas people for them to run for their lives after they finish their speeches so that Kenyans believe it’s an anti-government movement yet are being oiled by the same government? Muchezo wa tauni wakora wao.
“They are being sponsored 100 per cent; ndio uliona after wamemaliza speeches zao, wakapiga teargas ndio ionekane government inawapiga,” Salasya remarked.
This loosely translates to: They are fully sponsored by the government, and that’s why tear gas was unleashed after politicians were done with their speeches to create the impression that they are being targeted by the government”.
Salasya: politicians have been bought
Salasya further claimed that young politicians in the country had been bought to create confusion, which will work to Ruto’s advantage.
“If these people are really true, why are they still in ODM? Si ODM waachie Oburu… Young politicians have been bought to speak and confuse Kenyans,” he added.
He recounted that the firebrand politicians were at one point in a movement called Kenya Moja, which faded away.
Sifuna, Orengo & Babu Owino camp in Kitengela
Thousands turned up for the Linda Mwananchi political rally in Kitengela on Sunday, February 15, 2026.
The rally saw Edwin Sifuna and Babu Owino flex their muscles, causing jitters in the rival camp led by party leader Oburu Odinga.
The warm reception sparked renewed online debate about the shifting political dynamics in the country and deep divisions with ODM.
