A recent survey conducted on the X social network by political analyst Mutahi Ngunyi has shown Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna as the leading candidate in a hypothetical presidential contest against President William Ruto and other contenders.
Poll Details and Results
The poll, which excluded Kikuyu voters, asked respondents who they would truly vote for if elections were held today, with options including President William Ruto, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Democracy for the Citizens Party leader Rigathi Gachagua, and Wiper party's Kalonzo Musyoka.
- Out of 50,266 participants, Sifuna received 75% support.
- President William Ruto trailed with 15.1%.
- Kalonzo Musyoka garnered 5.5%.
- Rigathi Gachagua received 4.4%.
Rising Political Profile of Edwin Sifuna
The poll results coincide with a growing momentum for Sifuna ahead of the 2027 general elections. After being removed as the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) secretary-general, Sifuna has aligned himself with the Linda Mwananchi movement, which is gaining traction nationwide.
The movement is pushing for formal registration as a political party with plans to field a presidential candidate. Siaya Governor James Orengo affirmed the movement's ambition, stating that Linda Mwananchi aims to compete independently and will not play a subordinate role in the upcoming elections.
Orengo emphasized, "Linda Mwananchi is the biggest movement in Kenya right now. We are the major river; other movements can only come to Linda Mwananchi, not the other way round. We must have a presidential candidate."
Context and Considerations
While the poll has sparked considerable discussion online, it is important to note that it was informal and relied on self-selected respondents rather than a statistically representative national sample. Therefore, its predictive value for the actual 2027 election outcome remains uncertain.
