Faith Odhiambo’s Arrival Confirms Linda Mwananchi’s Progressive Pull

By Elijah Mbalaria

Kenya has a gradually nurtured a habit of silencing its reformers before they even get the chance to effect change. The country’s political history is littered with movements that began with genuine conviction and ended up as bargaining chips for the same old guard. So, when former Law Society of Kenya President Faith Odhiambo appeared alongside Linda Mwananchi leaders and was warmly welcomed by Edwin Sifuna with the words, “Full parade to welcome Madam President,” many dismissed it as another standout professional being swallowed by the political machine.

They may be missing the bigger story.

Faith Odhiambo’s appearance is significant not simply because of who she is, but because of what it says about where Linda Mwananchi finds itself today. While it began as a faction within a fractured ODM Party following the death of Raila Odinga, the firebrand outfit is increasingly becoming a convergence zone for a broad coalition of progressives, reformists, civil society actors, professionals and opposition figures searching for a vehicle capable of challenging President William Ruto’s state machinery.

For months, Linda Mwananchi has demonstrated its charm to attract crowds. Its rallies have generated enthusiasm, and its message has resonated with masses frustrated by the country’s economic and political direction. But crowds alone do not make a national political force. Movements mature when they begin attracting people who have no obvious partisan obligation to join them. Faith Odhiambo belongs squarely in that category.

As the 51st President of the Law Society of Kenya and only the second woman to hold the office, she earned national stature through sound institutional leadership. Her reputation was built in courtrooms, boardrooms and public-interest battles especially during the historic 2024 Gen Z-led Kenyan protests, and not on campaign platforms. Faith’s professional credibility made her one of the country’s most respected public figures precisely because she occupied a space above partisan politics.

Increasingly, Linda Mwananchi is drawing interest and sympathy from constituencies traditionally regarded as politically non-aligned. Professionals, civil society activists, governance advocates and younger reform-minded Kenyans appear increasingly comfortable associating with the movement. At the same time, the faction has found common cause with opposition figures beyond ODM’s traditional orbit, including leaders associated with the Gachagua-Kalonzo alliance and the broader United Alternative opposition formation.

This growing convergence suggests that Linda Mwananchi is no longer merely an ODM succession project. It is becoming a rallying point for disparate strands of opposition politics that might otherwise have remained fragmented.

Odhiambo’s own journey reinforces this perspective. Her appointment by President Ruto to the Compensation Panel for victims of protests, followed by her subsequent resignation, gives her political choices additional weight. It lends credibility to the perception that Linda Mwananchi’s support is emerging from conviction rather than convenience.

The movement’s leadership also stands to benefit from what figures like Faith represent, if she indeed formally joins them.

Edwin Sifuna commands attention and appears to be the face of the movement. Babu Owino energises crowds. James Orengo carries decades of political history. Together they provide the movement with visibility, combativeness and institutional memory. What they have sometimes lacked is a visible bridge to constituencies that value professional competence, institutional reform and governance credibility above political theatre. Faith Odhiambo helps build that bridge.

Her arrival broadens the coalition and signals that Linda Mwananchi is capable of attracting not only seasoned opposition politicians but also respected public figures whose legitimacy comes away from mainstream electoral politics. That distinction is important because elections are not only won by energising existing supporters but by persuading an undecided “middle class” that a movement is capable of governing.

Faith Odhiambo’s arrival to Linda Mwananchi could be yet another sign that the centre of gravity within the opposition is shifting.

And if that is indeed the case, there may be no better moment for Edwin Sifuna and his colleagues to put their foot down, claim their political space and formally present Linda Mwananchi as the formidable national challenger it increasingly resembles. President Ruto has spent years mastering the art of political manoeuvre and coalition-building. Therefore, the opposition’s posture cannot be perpetual hesitation.

The caravan is growing, and the passengers are arriving. The question now is whether its leaders are prepared to pull the trigger and lead it onto greater heights.

Elijah Mbalaria is a research assistant at Free Press Publishers.