By Alphonso Bernard Otieno
Busia Town is set for a political and civic awakening this Sunday, February 8, 2026, as the Linda Mwananchi Tour rolls into the county in a high-voltage forum that promises truth, accountability, and people-driven leadership. From 11:00 AM, wananchi will take centre stage in what organizers describe as a reclaiming of public power from political elites.
At the heart of the movement is Siaya Governor James Orengo — fiery reformist, seasoned constitutional lawyer, and one of Kenya’s most uncompromising defenders of democracy. Long known for his fearless voice against authoritarianism and elite capture of the state, Orengo is back on the national stage with a clear message: sovereignty belongs to the people, not politicians.
“This is not a rally of empty slogans.
This is not the politics of handshakes and silence,”
organisers insist.
Instead, the Busia stop of the Linda Mwananchi Tour is being billed as a raw, unfiltered people’s forum — a space for citizens to speak openly about governance failures, rising cost of living, constitutionalism, and the future of the country.
Governor Orengo has consistently warned against leadership that treats public office as personal property. His doctrine is simple but radical in today’s political climate: leadership is a temporary trust, not ownership. Power, he argues, must never run ahead of the people or hide behind authority.
“Leadership must walk with the people, not rule over them,” Orengo has often emphasized.
The Busia engagement will also feature a formidable lineup of national and regional leaders who have remained vocal in defending the Constitution and amplifying the voice of ordinary Kenyans. Expected speakers include Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Godfrey Osotsi, Richard Onyonka, Caleb Amisi, Wilberforce Oundo, among many others drawn from across the country.
The Linda Mwananchi Tour is anchored on citizen power, accountability, and fearless national conversation. It openly challenges what it calls cosmetic leadership — politics heavy on optics but empty on delivery — and calls for governance that listens, feels the pain of citizens, and speaks truth without fear or compromise.
Residents of Busia County and neighbouring regions have been urged to attend in large numbers, participate actively, and claim ownership of the conversation.
This, organisers say, is not about personalities or positions.
It is about the future of governance — shaped by wananchi, not imposed on them.
As Busia prepares to host this pivotal forum, one thing is clear:
James Orengo is back — and the people are being called to rise with him.
