MERU, Kenya—The Linda Mwananchi movement stepped up its political offensive on Sunday with its first major rally in Meru County, as Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and a bloc of opposition leaders turned their fire on President William Ruto over the controversial police uniform tender and his administration’s record.
The Meru rally, hosted by former Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza, marked the movement’s first sustained push into the Mt Kenya region after holding rallies in Trans Nzoia, Bungoma, Kakamega, Busia and Homa Bay.
The gathering also provided a platform for Sifuna and his allies to reinforce the movement’s political positioning ahead of the 2027 General Election, with speakers repeatedly invoking the opposition’s “One Term” campaign against Ruto.
Much of the criticism centred on the new police uniform unveiled by Ruto at the National Police College in Kiganjo on Friday, amid questions over the cost of the programme, the identity of the supplier and the process through which the contract was awarded.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale claimed he had spoken to a tailor on River Road who told him the uniform could be produced for about KSh14,000, compared with the KSh39,000 figure he cited at the rally.
Khalwale claimed the difference represented about KSh1.6 billion in public funds, although he did not identify the tailor or provide documentation to support the figures.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino put the overall cost of the uniform programme at KSh2.5 billion and questioned the government’s priorities, arguing that the money would have been better used to improve police officers’ salaries and welfare.
Babu also accused the government of failing to create sufficient employment opportunities for young people, while warning against attempts to disrupt the Meru gathering.
Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi made a separate allegation concerning the uniform tender, claiming that the President had influenced the award in favour of his own child.
The allegation was not supported by evidence presented at the rally and remains unsubstantiated.
The uniform controversy has emerged as a fresh political pressure point for the administration following demands from opposition figures for greater transparency over the supplier and the procurement process.
At the Meru rally, the issue was used by speakers to broaden their criticism of the government beyond the uniform itself, with several opposition leaders accusing the administration of failing to prioritise the economic concerns of ordinary Kenyans.
Sifuna, who closed the rally, also used his address to respond to President Ruto’s recent remarks about him and the Linda Mwananchi movement.
The Nairobi senator said he would not be intimidated by attacks from the President, declaring that he would answer political insults in kind.
Sifuna accused the administration of presiding over a country where Kenyans were increasingly concerned about their freedoms and security.
He said Kenyans wanted to live freely rather than face what he described as the threat of live fire, while dismissing the government’s development agenda as dishonest.
Sifuna further invoked the political slogan that has become central to the opposition’s campaign against Ruto, saying the President entered State House under the “Hustler” banner and would leave under the “One Term” slogan.
Babu, meanwhile, used the rally to publicly reaffirm his support for Sifuna’s presidential ambitions, seeking to put to rest speculation of political differences between the two leaders.
The declaration came days after speculation about a possible rift between Babu and Sifuna, which the Embakasi East MP had publicly dismissed.
Former Governor Mwangaza, who formally aligned herself with Linda Mwananchi earlier this year, portrayed the movement as a grassroots political outfit powered by ordinary supporters.
She told the gathering that Sifuna’s political campaign was being financed by ordinary Kenyans rather than personal wealth, presenting the movement as a bottom-up mobilisation ahead of the next elections.
Other opposition leaders used the rally to widen their attacks on the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Kabuchai MP Majimbo Kalasinga questioned the circumstances surrounding Mwangaza’s removal from the Meru governorship, challenging the political forces behind her impeachment.
Osotsi also turned his attention to Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, warning that his political future was under threat before asking the crowd who they wanted to lead Kenya after the 2027 election.
Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya directed his criticism at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, accusing it of conducting enhanced voter registration in parts of the Rift Valley while other areas received only regular registration.
Natembeya demanded what he described as equal treatment for all regions and rejected the government’s development record, arguing that the opposition’s priority would be fighting corruption.
Political commentator Pauline Njoroge told the gathering that attempts to divide the Mt Kenya vote would not succeed, insisting that the region would unite behind a single presidential candidate and the opposition’s One Term campaign.
The Meru rally therefore offered Linda Mwananchi an opportunity to expand its political footprint beyond western Kenya and the Lake Victoria region and into a part of the country that is expected to play a significant role in the 2027 contest.
For Sifuna, the appearance was also an opportunity to project himself before a wider regional audience as the movement continues to build its political machinery and debate its eventual electoral vehicle.
The latest rally comes as questions persist over the future structure and political identity of Linda Mwananchi ahead of the 2027 elections.
The police uniform tender remains under scrutiny, with DAP-Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa among those demanding disclosure of the supplier and details of the procurement process.
There have also been reports linking the registered address of the contracted company to businesses associated with members of the President’s family, claims that have intensified calls for greater transparency over the award.
Neither State House nor the National Police Service had responded to the allegations raised during Sunday’s rally by the time of publication.
