Linda Mwananchi vows to stage Kisumu rally despite Osotsi attack
By Kenneth Mwenda, April 11, 2026The Linda Mwananchi faction has confirmed it will proceed with a rally in Kisumu after the Nakuru event on April 19, 2026, despite renewed political tension following the attack on Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi in Kisumu on April 8, 2026.
The announcement comes as leaders in the movement insist that recent violence will not stop their political activities across Western Kenya.
Osotsi, who was injured in the attack while in Kisumu, has accused senior government officials of using security agencies for political control and failing to address rising insecurity in the region.
Speaking after his discharge on Saturday, April 11, 2026, he linked the attack to wider political interference and defended his presence in Kisumu, saying he moves freely in the region.
“And I want to say here today that after Nakuru on 19th, we are coming to Kisumu. We are coming,” he said.
He added that Kisumu remains central to his political work and rejected claims that outsiders were being targeted in the region.
“Kisumu is my city. It’s 25 minutes from my house. Kakamega will take me like an hour to go to Kisumu,” he said.
Dismisses ethnic narrative
Osotsi insisted that the attack should not be framed as ethnic tension, arguing that residents of Kisumu continue to support his political activities.
“So Kisumu is our city, and no one is going to chase us from Kisumu. And I always walk around Kisumu peacefully, and I will continue to walk around Kisumu peacefully,” he said.
He further dismissed suggestions that the violence reflected community conflict.
“So let us dissuade this narrative that it was a war on Luos. No,” he said.
Osotsi said he had raised concerns in the Senate over insecurity in Western Kenya and Nyanza, claiming that no action had been taken despite repeated warnings.
He also accused officials in charge of security of failing in their mandate.
“The people in charge of the security docket have forgotten their job. They are now doing politics with the security docket,” he said.
Kisumu rally plans affirmed
Osotsi claimed that he was attacked by a group of youths who had initially appeared friendly before turning violent at a Kisumu complex where he had gone for a haircut.
“All of a sudden, they started hitting me and asking why I was supporting one term and not supporting William Ruto,” he said.
He said he lost consciousness during the attack and was later rescued by his security team.
“Before long, I was unconscious because they hit me so hard,” he said.
Osotsi was first taken to Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu before being airlifted to Nairobi for further treatment.
Despite his injuries, he said he remains committed to political mobilisation under the Linda Mwananchi movement.
His remarks come as leaders within the group reaffirm their plan to hold rallies across the country.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna said the movement will continue its programme regardless of pressure or threats.
“We are coming to Kisumu after the Nakuru rally,” he said.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino was even more direct in his remarks, saying the group would not back down from its political push.
“We are coming. We are coming to Kisumu after the Nakuru rally,” he said.
He added that the movement would proceed despite what he described as hostility from the government.
“We have decided that we are bringing our blood to you. Don’t even look for us. We are coming,” he said.
The Kisumu rally is expected to be one of the most closely watched political events in the region, coming shortly after the Nakuru gathering and amid rising political tension linked to the 2027 succession politics.