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The government has assured the Linda Mwananchi movement of adequate security during its planned Homa Bay tour, with Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo saying politicians have a democratic right to visit any part of the country.

Dr Omollo said the government would not restrict political actors from moving across the country as long as they observe the law.

This comes amid concerns by Linda Mwananchi leaders over what they termed as intimidation from their ODM rivals in Homa Bay.

“As the people in charge of internal security, the position is very clear. Everybody is free to go anywhere. The expectation is that we must observe law and order,” Omollo said.

His remarks are likely to ease concerns within the Linda Mwananchi camp, which has been expanding its grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Linda Mwananchi, associated with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Siaya Governor James Orengo, MPs Babu Owino and Caroli Omondi and other leaders, has been holding rallies across the country as it seeks to galvanise support across the country.

The planned Homa Bay rally on August 15, 2026, comes against the backdrop of heightened political tension in the country.

On Wednesday, the outfit raised alarm over an alleged plot to disrupt their rallies in the county on Sunday, accusing local political leaders of mobilising goons to block the leaders and supporters from accessing select venues.

“We have very elaborate plans to mete out violence against us and the people of Homa Bay County during our tour next Sunday,” Omondi claimed.

Orengo has vowed that the movement will not be intimidated out of its political activities, insisting that its rallies will continue despite disruptions.

 “I want to assure those leaders from Homa Bay that we will be in Homa Bay. We will use cars, bows and arrows, injuries, including fractures. If the last act that I can do for this country, in the name of change and patriotism, in the name of democracy, is for me to die for my country, I am prepared,” he said on Wednesday at his home in Kisumu.

Meanwhile, the PS said the government had put in place elaborate security arrangements ahead of the 2027 elections.

“We have an elaborate security plan, which is what we must do before the elections, what must be done during elections, as well as what has to be done after the election,” he said.

He maintained that Kenya’s experience from previous elections, including the 2022 General Election, had given security agencies valuable lessons on how to manage election-related risks.

“The good thing is this is not the first time this country is going into an election. So we have a lot of experience, even going back to the last election of 2022, where our security actors did their very best, and with a lot of support from many actors, including our development partners,” Omollo said.

The PS announced that the government was also reviving mechanisms for promoting national cohesion, civic education and dialogue ahead of the polls. He cited the NCIC-led platforms that were used during the 2022 elections, saying they would be strengthened to facilitate conversations with the public and political leaders.

“We have an elaborate strategic plan that is going to guide our security deployment before the elections, during the elections, and also after the election,” he said.

On political violence, Omollo warned that the government would not tolerate criminal activities disguised as political contestation saying that security agencies had already profiled suspected goons and were actively engaging those considered criminal elements.

Omollo spoke on Thursday at Kabete National Polytechnic when he launched the Brace4Peace programme, a joint initiative supported by the Korean government and implemented with the United Nations Development Programme.

According to the partners, the initiative seeks to strengthen peacebuilding, prevent violent extremism and build socio-economic resilience among vulnerable communities in Kenya, Somalia and South Sudan.

In Kenya, the programme is being implemented in Isiolo, Samburu, Kisumu, Kilifi and Nairobi, with skills training and livelihood support targeting vulnerable youth and women.

“This will help in dealing with challenges that might provide an enabling environment for our young people to get involved in criminal acts,” he said.

The programme has registered 450 young people and women in its initial cohort, with 90 beneficiaries drawn from each of the five participating counties.

The PS linked the initiative to the government’s wider youth empowerment programmes, saying giving young people skills and opportunities for self-reliance would enable them to contribute positively to the economy while reducing their vulnerability to manipulation.

“This programme relates very well with what we have in the Nyota programme,” Omollo said.

The Brace4Peace programme takes a developmental approach to conflict prevention and violent extremism, combining peacebuilding with livelihood opportunities.

UNDP said the wider three-year initiative is being implemented through partnerships between governments, state institutions and communities.