Caleb Amisi missing as Linda Mwananchi team tours Kisii
By Mustafa Juma, July 3, 2026Saboti Member of Parliament (MP) Caleb Amisi was conspicuously absent as the Linda Mwananchi movement rolled into Kisii and Nyamira counties on Friday, July 3, 2026, fuelling fresh speculation that simmering disagreements within the opposition outfit may have escalated into a full-blown split.
The movement’s top leadership, led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Siaya Governor James Orengo, Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka, Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata, Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Kitutu Chache South MP Anthony Kibagendi, Kabuchai MP Majimbo Kalasinga, Kaiti MP Joshua Kimilu, Pauline Njoroge and lawyer Faith Odhiambo, traversed several towns in Kisii and Nyamira, drawing large crowds as they intensified grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Yet one of the movement’s co-founders, Caleb Amisi, was nowhere to be seen.
His absence comes barely days after a series of public disagreements with fellow Linda Mwananchi leaders over the movement’s future and its growing association with the broader United Opposition coalition.
Sifuna dismisses exit claims
Despite the speculation, Sifuna has insisted Amisi remains part of Linda Mwananchi.
Speaking during a radio interview earlier this week, the Nairobi senator dismissed reports that the Saboti legislator had walked away from the movement, arguing that differing opinions should not be mistaken for a political divorce.
“Caleb Amisi hajashuka vuguvugu la Linda Mwananchi; sisi ni wana democrasia; lazima watu waruhusiwe kutoa maoni yao...” Sifuna said.
He maintained that Linda Mwananchi was founded on democratic ideals and could not fault members for expressing divergent views.
Sifuna further argued that it would be hypocritical for the movement to criticise ODM for suppressing dissent while doing the same to its own members.
Rift over United Opposition
Amisi’s recent criticism has largely centred on Linda Mwananchi’s apparent willingness to work alongside the United Opposition.
Earlier this month, the Saboti MP publicly opposed proposals to formally align the movement with opposition heavyweights, including former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and other leaders under the United Opposition umbrella.
According to Amisi, Linda Mwananchi was created to offer Kenyans an entirely new political alternative rather than becoming another wing of the existing opposition establishment.
“The only problem is, these old guys have invaded Linda Mwananchi, and they are trying to divert the course. The course was that there is a generation that is fed up with legacy politicians,” he said in an earlier interview.
He argued that merging with established opposition figures would betray the ideals upon which the movement was founded.
Plans for a new movement
The disagreement appeared to deepen after Amisi announced that he was considering launching a separate political movement, accusing Linda Mwananchi of drifting from its original mission.
He claimed the outfit had abandoned its focus on nurturing a new generation of credible leaders and instead become preoccupied with building alliances with traditional politicians.
At one point, Amisi declared that if the movement insisted on joining the United Opposition, he would rather chart his own political path than support what he described as a return to legacy politics.
A partial climbdown
Days later, however, the Saboti MP softened his position.
Speaking to a local daily, Amisi insisted he had no intention of abandoning Linda Mwananchi, describing it as a movement he helped build.
“I can’t move away from what I started. It (Linda Mwananchi) is my baby. I can’t throw it before it grows,” he said.
He nonetheless maintained that the movement should preserve its independence and avoid being absorbed into a larger opposition coalition.
Orengo also pushes back
Amisi’s position has also drawn criticism from within the movement.
Siaya Governor James Orengo recently questioned why the Saboti MP was criticising Linda Mwananchi for engaging the United Opposition while simultaneously attending some opposition events himself.
Orengo argued that dialogue among opposition formations was necessary if they hoped to mount a formidable challenge to President William Ruto in 2027.
Absence fuels more questions
Friday’s Kisii-Nyamira tour was one of Linda Mwananchi’s biggest regional mobilisation exercises to date, featuring a broad lineup of senior politicians and civil society figures.
While no leader directly addressed Amisi’s absence during the rallies, his failure to join fellow co-founders is likely to intensify questions over whether the movement’s internal differences are becoming increasingly difficult to reconcile.
For now, Sifuna continues to insist the Saboti MP remains within the fold. But with Amisi maintaining his opposition to a formal partnership with the United Opposition, and staying away from one of the movement’s highest-profile tours yet, the future direction of Linda Mwananchi is likely to remain under close political scrutiny.