Political analyst Herman Manyora has praised Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna for avoiding what he described as the danger of turning his recent homecoming ceremony in Bungoma County into a Bukusu tribal affair.

Speaking during an interview with a local radio station on Monday, July 27, 2026, Manyora said there were concerns that the event could diminish Sifuna’s national political profile by portraying him as a regional Luhya leader. However, he argued that the senator carefully managed the occasion and avoided that perception.

“There was always that danger and that fear, and I think, from observation, they managed it well. It didn’t collapse into empathy. There are things that people are expecting that didn’t also happen; making a linear manner in general is a wrong thing. They are careful to avoid,” he said.

Manyora noted that some critics had expected the ceremony to resemble a traditional cultural event, but instead it unfolded like the other Linda Mwananchi political rallies that Sifuna has been holding across different parts of the country.

According to the analyst, the rally maintained its broader political message rather than focusing on ethnic identity, allowing Sifuna to project himself as a national leader.

Caleb Amisi warns Sifuna

Manyora’s remarks come after Saboti MP Caleb Amisi offered a contrasting view of the homecoming. Amisi argued that the event risked stripping Sifuna of his national appeal by pulling him back into regional politics. He advised the Nairobi senator to avoid being drawn into Bukusu politics if he intends to maintain a national political profile.

Amisi went on to argue that there is no position known as a ‘Mulembe kingpin’ on the presidential ballot. He took a swipe at Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who has long harboured presidential ambitions, saying that focusing on Mulembe politics had prevented him from realising those ambitions because such a political position does not exist nationally.

“Sifuna should try and avoid being boxed or being called a Luhya kingpin. There is nothing on the ballot called a Luhya kingpin. He is a national figure. The moment he begins being called a Luhya kingpin, he loses his national identity,” Amisi said.

Sifuna defends his homecoming

The remarks come just days after Sifuna defended his homecoming tour, during which he addressed large crowds in Trans Nzoia and parts of Bungoma County.

Sifuna maintained that, despite being a national leader and the Nairobi senator, Bungoma County remains his home. He argued that it was only natural for him to return to his political backyard to seek blessings and support before embarking on a nationwide campaign for votes.