In a political survey: Kenya’s 2027 Electoral Landscape: Political Alignment and the Evolving Presidential Contest released by TIFA Research on November 12, 2026, it emerged that Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s recently registered Linda Mwananchi Movement party is more popular than the decades old formerly opposition-allied Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
ODM is now led by Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga, the brother to the late opposition political enigma Raila Odinga, who was then party leader.
According to TIFA, respondents to their survey supported Linda Mwananchi more than ODM while ranking political party support in Kenya ahead of the August 10, 2027, General Election.
“The Linda Mwananchi Movement/The Equitable Party records 17% support, while ODM has declined from 20% in June to 10%,” said TIFA in their report.
This ranked Linda Mwananchi second and ODM third after President William Ruto’s UDA which scored 25% popularity among Kenyans.
Linda Mwananchi is a Kenyan political movement that took shape against the backdrop of growing public dissatisfaction with the country’s political leadership, particularly following the Gen Z protests of 2024. It brought together a group of politicians who felt that Kenyans needed a stronger alternative voice to challenge the established political order.
Among those associated with its early mobilisation were Saboti MP Caleb Amisi, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, who sought to build a political platform around accountability, constitutionalism, economic justice and citizens’ interests.
The movement gained greater political significance in 2026 as divisions within ODM intensified over the party’s cooperation with President William Ruto’s administration. Sifuna’s fallout with the ODM leadership and subsequent removal as Secretary-General further strengthened his association with the emerging movement.
What initially operated as a loose political grouping gradually pursued a formal party identity, eventually adopting the Linda Mwananchi name through the rebranding of The Equitable Party. With Sifuna emerging as its leading figure and a prospective presidential contender, the movement has positioned itself as an alternative political force ahead of the 2027 General Election. Its challenge now is to turn its growing public profile into a structured national organization with support across Kenya’s 47 counties.
On the other hand, following Raila Odinga’s death in October 2025, ODM has experienced growing internal divisions and uncertainty over its political direction. Although Oburu Oginga took over the party’s leadership, disagreements have emerged over its working relationship with President William Ruto’s administration and the strategy it should adopt ahead of the 2027 elections.
Leadership disputes, political defections and competing interests have further complicated efforts to preserve the party’s unity. Without Raila’s influence to hold its different factions together, ODM is now facing the challenge of protecting its traditional support base, defining its political identity and maintaining its national influence in the run-up to the next General Election.
In 271 days, Kenyans will head to the polls and as campaigns continue to take shape across the country, it remains to be seen who between the two-years-old Linda Mwananchi and the 21-years-old ODM parties will dominate the political scene and take on UDA.
