Babu Owino, the Embakasi East MP, has stated that the Linda Mwananchi team is willing to partner with the united opposition since they are all like-minded.

While speaking during an interview with a local media station on Monday, May 4, 2026, the Nairobi gubernatorial hopeful remarked that the Edwin Sifuna-led team has no issue partnering with the united opposition since they all harbour a similar agenda, which, according to him, is in the best interest of the common mwananchi.

“Elections in Kenya are won through coalitions. We have no problem with a united opposition; they are like-minded individuals. We do not have a problem when we come together for the best interests of the ordinary mwananchi,” he said.

This comes at a time when the possibility of the two camps uniting ahead of 2027 appears to be a matter of when, not if. Most principals within the Linda Mwananchi formation, which is predominantly made up of politicians regarded as rebels within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), have also expressed willingness to partner with the Rigathi Gachagua and Kalonzo Musyoka-led formation.

Nairobi senator who also doubles as Linda Mwananchi team leader Edwin Sifuna has stated that there is a common understanding among Kenyans that, for them to win the 2027 general election, all camps that believe Ruto should serve only Wantam must approach the polls as a united front.

He referenced the 2022 general election, where Ruto won by a narrow margin of about 200,000 votes, saying he does not want a repeat in 2027 due to opposition disunity.

He also stated that he does not want to be part of a vote-splitting arrangement that has cost the opposition in the past.

The outspoken Nairobi Senator further noted that their paths with the United Opposition will eventually intersect, allowing them to work together as a joint force. He encouraged the Rigathi Gachagua and Kalonzo Musyoka-led camp to continue with their efforts as his team does the same.

Mukhisa Kituyi’s perspective

United Opposition spokesperson Mukhisa Kituyi has also made remarks suggesting a possible merger.

While hosting Bukusu elders at his Mbalako home, where he introduced Sifuna to them, Kituyi stated that the forum marked Sifuna’s official welcome into their fold as they pursued what he termed the “fourth liberation”, which he described as economic liberation.

He added that a team within the United Opposition, led by former minister Kipruto Arap Kirwa, is working on a framework that could pave the way for the Sifuna team to join and form an integrated opposition.

Gachagua courts the Sifuna team

Meanwhile, Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has also urged the Sifuna team to join their camp.

He stated that, just like the United Opposition principals who harbour presidential ambitions, if the Linda Mwananchi team has a preferred candidate, his side would be willing to shelve their ambitions and support that candidate for the presidency.

Former minister and Jubilee cabinet secretary Raphael Tuju has also come out to add his voice to this discussion without mincing his words, saying that if the two camps do not merge ahead of next year’s polls, then it will be a stupid move.