Siaya Governor James Orengo has declared that he will attend the planned Linda Mwananchi rally in Homa Bay County on August 16, insisting that neither he nor other opposition leaders will be intimidated by alleged threats to disrupt the event.
Speaking during a press briefing in Kisumu on Wednesday, Orengo said the rally would proceed as scheduled despite claims that some individuals were planning to block opposition leaders and supporters from accessing Homa Bay. He argued that the Constitution guarantees every Kenyan the right to freedom of movement, peaceful assembly and political association, regardless of political affiliation.
“I want to assure those leaders from Homa Bay that we will be there. If I take off my clothes, I will show you scars of bows, arrows, injuries, including fractures. If the last act that I can do for this country in the name of change, patriotism and democracy is for me to die for my country, I am prepared on the 16th in Homa Bay to be there and face the consequences,” Orengo said.
The governor’s remarks came amid heightened political tension surrounding the planned rally, which forms part of the Linda Mwananchi movement’s nationwide campaign ahead of the 2027 General Election. The movement is led by a group of opposition figures, including Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, and Orengo.
Orengo, a veteran lawyer and one of Kenya’s prominent pro-democracy campaigners during the struggle for multiparty democracy in the 1980s and 1990s, referenced injuries he says he sustained during earlier political activism. He used that history to underscore his resolve to attend the Homa Bay meeting despite security concerns.
During the briefing, Orengo alleged that certain leaders in Homa Bay were mobilising groups to disrupt the rally and intimidate participants. He further claimed that crude weapons had been distributed to some youths in preparation for the event. However, these allegations have not been independently verified, and no evidence had been publicly presented at the time of the briefing.
The Linda Mwananchi movement has formally asked the National Police Service to provide adequate security during the rally. The group says it has already notified police of the planned public meeting and has urged authorities to protect participants and ensure the event proceeds peacefully.
Suba South MP Caroli Omondi called on Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to guarantee the safety of supporters travelling to Homa Bay, saying every Kenyan has a constitutional right to attend lawful political gatherings without intimidation.
The planned rally comes days after police arrested six people in connection with an alleged attack on members of the Linda Mwananchi rally planning team in Homa Bay, an incident that briefly disrupted business activities in parts of the town. Police have since confirmed the arrests and said security officers were deployed to restore order.
Orengo maintained that political competition should be conducted peacefully and within the law, arguing that no region of the country should be considered inaccessible to leaders because of their political beliefs.
“We have a new constitutional order. Nobody should be prevented from going anywhere in Kenya because of their political affiliation,” Orengo said.
As preparations for the August 16 rally continue, attention is expected to focus on the security arrangements put in place by law enforcement agencies. At the time of publication, the National Police Service had not publicly responded to Orengo’s specific allegations of planned disruptions, although police have acknowledged receiving notification of the rally and previously assured organisers that security would be provided.