Homa Bay Town MP George Peter Kaluma has thrown his weight behind President William Ruto’s 2027 re-election bid, as the Linda Mwananchi movement led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna takes its political mobilisation campaign to Homa Bay on Sunday.
Kaluma, an ODM lawmaker, said residents should consider infrastructure projects in the county when assessing Ruto’s administration, while maintaining that Homa Bay remains part of ODM and the Broad Based Government.
His remarks come as Sifuna leads Linda Mwananchi leaders and supporters in a major political tour of Homa Bay, in what is shaping up as a high-stakes mobilisation exercise ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Siaya Governor James Orengo and Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya were among leaders who had arrived in the county ahead of Sunday’s activities.
Kaluma directly addressed the political message expected from the visiting team, particularly the “Wantam” slogan associated with opposition calls for Ruto to leave office.
“When you come to Homa Bay, please remember the Airstrip, the piers and the roads you land, anchor and drive on as you shout your useless ‘wantam’ political slogans have been built by President William Ruto. Your Gachagua and Uhuru built nothing here and never cared to know we exist. We are in the ODM Party. We’re in the Broad Based Government. We support President Ruto, and we’ll vote for him in 2027.”
Kaluma’s intervention has added another layer to an already charged political contest in Homa Bay, where Linda Mwananchi’s arrival has generated both enthusiasm and resistance. Roads leading into parts of Homa Bay Town were reportedly barricaded with large stones early Sunday, while tyres were set ablaze in some areas as tensions rose ahead of the planned political activities.
The security concerns had emerged before the rally. Homa Bay County Commissioner Ronald Mwiwawi warned politicians against organising civilian security teams, saying security for public political events remained the responsibility of law enforcement agencies.
Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo has also called for restraint, urging political leaders and their supporters to reject incitement, violence and ethnic politics while exercising their constitutional freedoms.
Kaluma’s intervention is particularly significant because Linda Mwananchi has emerged as an important political platform within the wider opposition debate ahead of 2027. Sifuna has previously said the movement does not intend to split the opposition vote and has advocated efforts to bring rival opposition groups together around a single presidential candidate.
The Homa Bay tour therefore presents a direct political test in a region that has traditionally been associated with ODM. The movement’s presence comes amid continuing disagreements within the party over its working relationship with Ruto’s administration and the possibility of cooperation with UDA ahead of the next election.
Kaluma has previously argued that ODM should receive a substantial share of government positions if it reaches a political agreement with UDA, citing the party’s national support base and political strength.
His latest remarks also point to the growing importance of development politics in the 2027 contest. Kaluma cited the Homa Bay airstrip, piers and roads as evidence of Ruto’s investment in the region, seeking to counter the opposition’s “Wantam” message with an emphasis on government projects.
The government has undertaken several infrastructure projects in Homa Bay since Ruto assumed office, including road works and investment in the county’s lakeside transport infrastructure. The projects have increasingly become part of the political argument over whether development should translate into electoral support.
As Linda Mwananchi rallies residents in Homa Bay, Kaluma’s endorsement makes clear that the battle for the region’s political allegiance in 2027 is already underway — and that ODM’s internal divisions could become central to the contest.