NAIROBI, Kenya – Outspoken Saboti MP Caleb Amisi has taken issue with a section of leaders allied to the Linda Mwananchi movement who have been at the forefront of endorsing Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka for the country’s top seat.
In a tough-worded statement, the People’s Renaissance Movement (PM Party) leader maintained that the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) breakaway political faction was not started by him to endorse Kalonzo.
“I am extremely perplexed by leaders using the Sifuna rally in Homa Bay to endorse other leaders not part of the movement in front of Edwin Sifuna. This is not the idea behind why I started the movement. LM was not started to endorse Kalonzo,” said Amisi.
The youthful Saboti lawmaker, serving his second term in office, however, said that Kalonzo can support Sifuna for the presidency through the August 10, 2027, general election.
“This I will fight for till the end. Sisi ni Sifuna was an idea, not even about Sifuna as a person, and Edwin Watenya Sifuna is the flagbearer of the idea. Period! Nobody else can fit in that idea unless you start another movement,” explained the firebrand politician.
MP Caleb Amisi sets the record straight on Linda Mwananchi
Earlier, Amisi opened up on the reasons why he formed Linda Mwananchi, a youthful opposition/rebel faction within the ODM party.
In a recent interview on Radio Generation, Amisi maintained that he did not start a movement to join the United Opposition, a coalition of political leaders led by principals Kalonzo, Rigathi Gachagua (Democracy for Citizens Party), Eugene Wamalwa (DAP-K), Martha Karua (People’s Liberation Party), among others.
“We started a movement because there are people who do not want President William Ruto but are not feeling it, or they are not excited by the United Opposition. We are taking this mass of people, especially the young people. That’s why they say if you don’t take this mass of people, there will be voter apartheid. They will not vote,” explained Amisi.
He attributed this to voter apartheid witnessed in the last election, where former ODM leader Raila Odinga (deceased) lost his fifth attempt at the presidency.
“People were tired of even Raila. They said he was there in the previous regimes. He was there during the previous elections. He was the minister of energy. What did he do? So we did not appreciate the fact that there are young people who do not know Raila fought for democracy and liberation,” added Amisi.
Why Caleb Amisi is against Kalonzo’s endorsement
Ahead of the August 10, 2027 elections, Amisi expressed fear that Kenya may revert to the last generation.
“In this election, we are afraid we are also going back there until we have a new set of leaders who are telling people, ‘Now we are new; we can have a different thinking; we did not serve in Moi’s government; we did not serve in Kibaki’s government; we did not serve in Uhuru’s government.’”
Amisi also indicated that he has no problem with Kalonzo but observed that the Wiper leader has been in the system of ‘exchanging roles’ since Moi’s time.
“So my question is very, very honest: he is one of those credible leaders; he has no corruption case around him; he kept his name clean in the minutes of all this corruption; he is a credible leader; I can tell you he is a leader we wish Kenya to have as a president, but my question is, Kalonzo, with his 24 MPs, will he have peace?” he paused.
According to Amisi, the time had come when Kenyans were saying they wanted something different on the political scene.
“A new player in the system. And the young people are ready. So we cannot say we are going to join them (United Opposition). Because that was not the idea. But then you can join anyway. You can actually join. It’s your right. You can join together. But then you can join anyway. You can actually join. It’s your right. You can join together. But you might join knowing that they are actually helping you to remove that,” he added.
Some of the leaders who founded Linda Mwananchi
Amisi revealed that he was the one who founded the Linda Mwananchi faction.
“I’m the one who started it. It’s only that they did not understand the assignment. The assignment was that some people do not want William Ruto. But they are also tired of these same people who have been there since Moi’s time. They just want something new,” he added.
He further indicated that he was the one who gathered all the youthful leaders in the opposition to join the political outfit.
“Talk of Babu Owino, Sifuna, Clive, Kibagendi, and Ndindi Nyoro was there. Ali Mohamed. And I hosted them in Saboti. I said if you guys are appearing, I will host it. I hosted. It was massive. And there it begins. It began now, the Kenya Moja,” he explained.
Amisi also said that when Sifuna was removed as the ODM secretary general, the move catapulted the movement.
“We had planned to go to Kitengela as Kenya Moja. So Sifuna was removed today, and tomorrow we were to go to Kitengela anyway. We had planned it already two weeks earlier,” explained Amisi.
MP Caleb Amisi expresses concern over Linda Mwananchi
According to Amisi, the time had come for leaders allied to Linda Mwananchi to stop what he described as political conmanship around their generational fight for change.
“You did not understand the assignment. Bure Kabisa!” he added.
With the clock ticking fast towards the forthcoming elections, Amisi insists that Kenyans want something different.
“Now if you don’t serve them and you go back and merge with what they are running away from, they will just sit at home on election day and look at you. Right now, there are no votes to guarantee you victory,” Amisi cautioned.
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