Natembeya: Sifuna will use UDP to vie for presidency

Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has said Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna will use the United Democratic Party (UDP) to vie for the presidency as opposition leaders work towards fielding a single presidential candidate.

Natembeya said opposition parties remain part of one bloc despite efforts by different leaders to establish their own political parties.

He cited the Azimio Coalition, which he said brought together approximately 25 parties in support of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Natembeya said similar efforts were now taking place within the opposition and dismissed criticism over the formation of parties associated with the Luhya community.

“Everyone is trying to form their own parties; regardless of the parties they form, they are still in the opposition. The whole block is opposition; it doesn’t matter the number of parties that are there,” Natembeya said.

“When the Luhya Community unite to form their party, they call it tribalism. Let us ignore all that noise. We shall form a strong regional party even if it is a community party; we unite because strong communities make a strong nation.”

He said opposition leaders were working towards maintaining unity while allowing individual parties to operate independently.

“When we said that we shall be united as the opposition, everyone has to be in their own house. It is something we are working on. We shall make sure that we have one presidential candidate,” Natembeya said.

Natembeya identified UDP as the party Sifuna would use in the presidential contest. He said Sifuna could contest under UDP or the coalition being formed by opposition parties.

The United Democratic Party is a political party that was led by former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo until his death in December 2025.

“The party is there; Sifuna’s party is called the United Democratic Party; it is the one that we shall use. When we go to the negotiating table to decide who the presidential candidate will be, I believe it will be Edwin Sifuna,” he said.

“If Sifuna will vie with UDP or the coalition that we are forming, then so be it,” Natembeya added.

The Trans Nzoia Governor also dismissed disagreements among opposition leaders as largely being driven by social media, saying the leaders remained united and were working towards selecting a presidential flag bearer.

“There is just noise on social media; all opposition leaders are united and are speaking in one voice and soon we shall pick our presidential flag bearer,” he said.

This comes days after Digital communications strategist Pauline Njoroge revealed that Linda Mwananchi will unveil his political party in 11 days.

"Very, very soon, the Party that we have all been waiting for will be unveiled! HE Edwin Sifuna amejipanga sawa sawa!" Paline said.

The announcement comes amid a row between Sifuna and Embakasi MP Babu Owino’s supporters.

The debate intensified after Linda Mwananchi’s Nairobi mobilisation on Sunday, September 13, which culminated in a rally at Jacaranda Grounds.

The rally also highlighted differences over its political direction, with several leaders backing Sifuna’s bid for the presidency amid competition from Siaya Governor James Orengo, who has also expressed interest in the top seat.

Babu Owino on Friday, September 18, reaffirmed his support for Nairobi Senator Sifuna’s presidential bid, saying he will support him despite differences within Linda Mwananchi.

He cited their difficult days within ODM that strengthened their friendship.

Owin spoke in Central Nyakach, Kisumu County, during the funeral of Jeremiah Kisero.

“We started together when we were facing challenges in the party, after he had been expelled from ODM. We stood by him after the expulsion, and now he is on his way to becoming the President of Kenya,” Owino said.

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has also urged the two leaders to solve their differences.

He urged the two leaders to also tame their supporters whose arguments had taken a tribal dimension.

“Linda Mwananchi will play a significant role when we converge in liberating our country. We don’t want that movement divided... I have seen it’s taking a tribal dimension that I don’t like, where the Luo people and the Luhya people have started trading insults,” Gachagua said.