A truck linked to a faction of Kenya’s Orange Democratic Movement was stoned on Friday morning as it travelled to Kakamega County for a rally planned this weekend, adding to rising tensions within the party and the wider opposition.

Videos shared by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna showed a lorry, said to be part of a Linda Mwananchi convoy, coming under attack at Kona Mbaya trading centre. In one clip, a man riding in the vehicle can be heard chanting slogans before a stone strikes the truck.

Moments later, panic erupts. The driver struggles to steady the vehicle as the turnboy ducks for cover. The footage then cuts out. No injuries have been reported.

Mr Sifuna condemned the incident but said the rally scheduled for Saturday, February 21, would go ahead.

“We are still going to Kakamega,” he said, insisting that the faction — which includes Siaya Governor James Orengo and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino — would not be intimidated.

Warnings and accusations

The incident comes a day after Mr Sifuna said he had formally notified authorities about the rally. He stated that he wrote to the Kakamega Officer Commanding Police Division and also shared the notice with Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen via WhatsApp.

“Since Murkomen remains on the Senate WhatsApp group as a former senator, I have shared the notice of the Kakamega rally both in the group and directly to his personal WhatsApp number,” Mr Sifuna said. He added that this would prevent claims that officials were unaware of the event.

Mr Murkomen had previously said he was not informed about a rally in Kitengela that was later disrupted by police. That event turned violent, leaving two people dead and dozens injured.

The Cabinet Secretary accused opposition organisers of choosing a busy market day to draw crowds and alleged that individuals from outside the area were involved in the unrest. Opposition leaders have denied those claims and criticised the police response.

Deepening divisions

The stoning also reflects ongoing fractures within ODM, which has faced internal disputes since the death of its long-time leader, Raila Odinga, last year.

Different factions are now competing for influence and charting separate political paths ahead of the 2027 general election. The Linda Mwananchi wing has positioned itself as part of a broader opposition coalition.

On Thursday, the Democratic Change Party wrote to Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, informing him of plans to visit his office on February 20. The visit was later called off after opposition leaders said they would instead pursue legal action, accusing the police chief of failing to act over previous incidents.

Police had not issued a public statement on the Kakamega incident by Friday afternoon.

For residents in western Kenya, the immediate concern is safety. For party leaders, it is political survival. As the rally approaches, tensions remain high — and the stakes appear to be rising.