Renaissance: Political outfit linked to Linda Mwananchi unveiled

Linda Mwananchi leaders, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Siaya Governor James Orengo and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi during a rally at Mazembe Grounds in Nakuru, on April 19, 2026. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

A new political formation associated with the Linda Mwananchi movement was unveiled on Wednesday following certification by the Registrar of Political Parties.

The party, People’s Renaissance Movement (PM), becomes the 93rd political outfit in the country, joining the long list of other similar organisations. 

It is suspected that Saboti lawmaker, Caleb Amisi, a key member of the embattled ODM Secretary General, Edwin Sifuna-led Linda Mwananchi, has been bankrolling the registration process and establishment of the party offices. 

Insiders also intimated to The Standard that the MP has been sighted at the outfit's offices several times.

He has further been on record signing off his statements and speeches with "the country needs a Renaissance," a word now part of the name of the outfit. 

At the same time, The Standard observed vehicles with Linda Mwananchi branding outside the ORPP offices in Westlands during the issuance of the party's certificate, with hundreds of young people turning up in solidarity. 

In their acceptance speech, the party officials said it is a youth-driven movement that aims to champion change against the poor leadership being witnessed.

They maintained that the party is not funded by any political figures and has no traditional leadership structure.

"We want to tell Kenyans we are not playing the politics of  "wantam" and "tutam," said the party Secretary General, Sarabai Emmanuel. "We are suffering. We have economic problems. The solution is the people's renaissance movement." 

The emergence of PRM comes amid sustained political undercurrents within the ODM, where internal disagreements have in recent months exposed cracks that now appear to be birthing two factions. 

One of the factions is led by the party leader Oburu Oginga, and supports the broad-based government while the Sifuna-led team opposes the arrangement.  

The Nairobi Senator, whose fate as ODM SG hangs in the balance, has publicly declared he will not work under Oburu, saying: “I cannot be the Secretary General for Oburu. Leadership must reflect the will of the people, not imposed arrangements.”

His Vihiga counterpart Godfrey Osotsi, who was recently dropped as ODM Deputy Party Leader, has been among those signaling exit from the party. 

“My focus now is to grow the Linda Mwananchi movement into a formidable force that truly represents ordinary Kenyans,” he recently said during a Linda Mwananchi rally in Mombasa. 

Political analyst Herman Manyora observes that the PM party is likely to edge out ODM's influence from its perceived strongholds, including Nyanza region should the disgruntled members of ODM migrate en masse to join it. 

"If it will work, ODM is gone. What will remain of ODM cannot be a party. What remains will be a village thing. This outfit, even within Luo Nyanza, will have an influence. There are many disgruntled members within the Oburu faction. who might move," he said. 

While issuing the certificate for the new PM party, Registrar of Political Parties John Lorionoku raised concerns over what he termed as "unstable political party structures in the country."

"We have a very unstable political parties' structure in this country. Parties come up and after one circle is over, all the parties die and then they revive in different ways for the next year," he decried. 

"We cannot have a stable democracy if we do not have stable political parties," he added.