Governor Irungu Kang'ata Calls Edwin Sifuna Opposition’s Greatest Engine

Murang’a governor Irungu Kang'ata told a live audience on Citizen TV’s JK Live on Wednesday, November 4, that Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna is the most powerful force driving Kenya’s opposition.

He added that swapping Deputy President Kithure Kindiki for Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka would not diminish the opposition’s strength and that any government move to attract Kalonzo would likely fail.

Kang'ata said Sifuna’s appeal now extends beyond his home region and that the senator could fill any gap created if Kalonzo were to leave the opposition camp.

He predicted that a coalition bringing together Kalonzo, Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua and Sifuna would give the opposition a decisive electoral edge, describing Gachagua as the “glue” holding the opposition together.

Dismissing accusations that Gachagua is a political bully, Kang'ata recalled an incident in Ol Kalou where Gachagua warned him against attending an event that later turned violent; he was injured after ignoring the warning and said the former deputy president’s advice proved correct.

The governor ruled out any ambition for a national leadership role, including the Deputy President post, stating that the debate should focus on policy platforms rather than positions; he declined a Deputy President offer from senior officials before leaving the United Democratic Alliance, joined DCP in July and will contest the 2027 Murang’a governorship on the DCP ticket.

Kang'ata urged the opposition to prioritise manufacturing, healthcare and education if it wins the 2027 election and criticised the current government’s high taxation and excessive regulation of industry.

He cited a recent Politrack Africa live poll that placed the Linda Mwananchi Movement, led by Sifuna, as the most liked party with 85 percent support (13,000 of 15,660 votes), while DCP received 7 percent, President William Ruto’s UDA 5 percent and ODM 3 percent (470 votes).

He said former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s role in the opposition is limited to moral support, that he will not target rivals such as former Water Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome or Woman Representative Betty Maina, and that his campaign will focus on fighting poverty; he added that if he loses in 2027 he will return to private life with his wife and five children.