The Linda Mwananchi movement is set to hold its rally in Meru on Sunday, with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna receiving a warm welcome from local political allies ahead of the gathering.
Sifuna was presented with maize, cassava, Irish potatoes and green maize during his visit, a gesture that brought a distinctly agricultural touch to the political tour.
Former Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza, who has aligned herself with the movement, welcomed Sifuna and the Linda Mwananchi team to the county.
“Thank you, Kawira Mwangaza, for the warm reception. Meru hoyeee!” Sifuna said.
The visit marks the movement’s latest attempt to build support beyond Nairobi and take its political message directly to voters ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Sifuna has said Sunday’s gathering will largely focus on Meru Town. He has also made clear that the movement will return to the county for further grassroots engagements rather than attempt to cover the entire region in a single day.
The senator has even been preparing for the local audience in his own way. Ahead of the visit, he joked about trying to learn the Kimeru version of his familiar “Mnaniona Vizuri” rally phrase.
“Kuna jamaa hapa anajaribu kunifundisha ‘mnaniona vizuri’ kwa Kimeru lakini najiumauma,” he said, acknowledging that he was struggling with the pronunciation.
Mwangaza had earlier called on residents to welcome the movement peacefully. Her support has added political weight to the Meru visit as Linda Mwananchi continues its county-to-county mobilisation campaign.
But the rally comes amid some political tension.
Reports published ahead of Sunday’s event said groups of youths in parts of Meru had objected to Mwangaza accompanying the movement, while former Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi said his name had been invoked in the dispute.
Linturi denied supporting any effort to disrupt the rally and said Linda Mwananchi is part of the wider opposition movement. He also defended Mwangaza’s right to travel and attend political meetings in Meru.
Mwangaza, meanwhile, has raised concerns about alleged attempts to disrupt the gathering. Those allegations have not been independently established.
The political backdrop is particularly notable because Linda Mwananchi’s previous tour of Homa Bay on August 16 was disrupted by violence. The movement has since shifted its attention to Meru, where organisers are expected to make the case for broader grassroots political engagement.
For Sifuna, Sunday’s rally is therefore more than a stop on a political caravan. It is a chance to test the movement’s appeal in a new region and to see whether the warm welcome of maize, cassava and green maize translates into an equally warm political reception.
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