Osotsi dismisses Malala’s push for Sifuna’s DP position
By Ndiritu Wanjiru, July 6, 2026Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi has dismissed calls by former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala for Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna to be considered for the deputy president’s position, insisting that the proposal does not reflect the official position of the Linda Mwananchi movement.
Speaking on the matter on a local radio station on Sunday, July 5, 2026, Osotsi said Malala’s remarks were merely his personal opinion and should not be construed as the movement’s or a community’s stand.
“Hiyo ni maoni ya Cleo. Hiyo sio msimamo wa Linda Mwananchi,” Osotsi said.
The senator has maintained that Linda Mwananchi has already settled on Sifuna as its presidential flag bearer ahead of the 2027 general election, arguing that discussions about him becoming a running mate are therefore misplaced.
“Sisi kama Linda Mwananchi tunasema kigogo wetu ni Edwin Watenya Sifuna na tunasonga mbele. Ndani ya Linda Mwananchi, kiongozi ni Edwin Sifuna, na yeye ndiye presidential candidate wa Linda Mwananchi,” he added.
Push for Sifuna’s presidency
Osotsi said Sifuna should instead continue engaging other opposition leaders as efforts to build a united front against President William Ruto’s administration gather momentum.
According to Osotsi, any debate over the deputy president’s slot is premature because Kenya’s Constitution does not provide for the position to be elected independently by voters.
He explained that the eventual presidential candidate will have the sole responsibility of selecting a running mate once coalition negotiations are concluded.
“The deputy president is not elected directly by the people. The deputy president is chosen by the presidential candidate. That decision will be made next year, around March, after the presidential candidate has been agreed upon,” he said.
Osotsi further dismissed arguments that the Luhya community should automatically be allocated the deputy president’s position, saying such demands ignore the established process of selecting a running mate.
“You cannot say that we, as the Luhya community, want the deputy president’s position because the person who will decide on the running mate will be the presidential candidate who will have been chosen,” he added.
Reiterating the movement’s position, Osotsi said Linda Mwananchi remains firmly behind Sifuna’s presidential bid and is focused on strengthening his candidature rather than lobbying for the deputy presidency.
“We have Edwin Sifuna as our presidential candidate,” Osotsi said, insisting that the movement’s priority is to consolidate support behind his candidature as opposition realignments continue ahead of the 2027 elections.
Malala endorses Sifuna
Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) deputy leader Cleophas Malala has proposed Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna as the running mate for the United Opposition in the 2027 General Election.
Malala said the deputy president position in the opposition coalition should go to a leader from the Western region, adding that the Luhya community was not seeking the presidency but wanted to be considered for the second-highest office.
He said opposition leaders should agree on one presidential candidate before settling on a running mate from the Western region.
“We, as the Luhya community, have said we are not asking for the presidency. We are reserving the deputy presidency. Whether the opposition settles on Kalonzo, Gachagua or Matiang’i as its presidential candidate, those who do not get the ticket should support the chosen candidate,” Malala said.
“I am proposing that we front our son, Edwin Sifuna, to become the deputy president. If Kalonzo is chosen as the opposition presidential candidate, that is fine. If Gachagua is chosen, that is also fine. But the deputy presidency should go to our son, Sifuna,” he said.
Malala added that if the coalition opts against Sifuna, then it should still consider another leader from the Western region for the position.
“If anyone wants to deny us the deputy presidency, then they should instead give us the presidency. And if Sifuna is not the preferred candidate, then another leader from our region, such as Eugene Wamalwa, should be considered,” he said.