Kakamega deputy governor Ayub Savula has compared the rising popularity of Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna and Embakasi MP Babu Owino to a bushfire that will soon be put out after it reaches the end of the forest.

While speaking during an interview with Herman Manyora on his podcast on Monday, March 9, 2026, the outspoken politician continued to spell doom for the Edwin Sifuna-led Linda Mwananchi movement, which seems to be catching the attention of the masses, saying that it will soon end, terming it “moto wa gazeti”, which begins burning with anger and fury but goes out in minutes.

“Sifuna’s popularity is like a bushfire; when the forest ends, the fire ends there, and the forest is reactionary. hii ni moto ya gazeti.”

He added that the Sifuna-led team is headed nowhere and that the clout he is enjoying now is because of what he termed a reactionary following after his ouster from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) secretary-general position.

He dared Sifuna to hold another rally after his recently concluded rallies in Kakamega and Kitengela and see if the turnout would still be as high as it has been in past rallies.

He also took a swipe at Babu Owino, who is an integral member of the Sifuna-led Linda Mwananchi team, saying that Babu Owino wants to use Sifuna’s clout for his political survival and his gubernatorial interests in Nairobi City in 2027.

Noting that he wants to ignite Gen Z so that they can rally behind him in his quest for the Nairobi seat. He added that Sifuna’s political activities have no end goal since his future is sealed.

Natembeya situation

Savula has also urged Sifuna to take a leaf from Trans-Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, who once launched his TAWE movement, attracting massive support and seeming to have the masses on his side, but which, according to Savula, eventually fizzled out naturally.

The Linda Mwananchi movement

Earlier, Edwin Sifuna himself came out and dismissed those labelling their movement’s popularity as “moto wa gazeti”, saying that even if a burning newspaper burns, it may not last long.

Siaya governor James Orengo, who is part of Linda Mwananchi, recently described their movement as a tsunami, saying it is unstoppable and that anybody who stands in its way will be swept by the wave.

Sifuna recently announced that the Linda Mwananchi movement has taken a brief hiatus and will be back after the holy month of Ramadhan with a maiden rally in Mombasa.