NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 8 – The ball has been set rolling for the adoption of the Linda Mwananchi Movement as the new identity of The Equitable Party (TEP), after the party’s National Executive Council approved the proposed rebranding.
The development brings Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s political outfit closer to securing a formal political vehicle under the Linda Mwananchi banner ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The decision by the TEP NEC follows the unveiling of the party as the political vehicle adopted by the Linda Mwananchi Movement, with Sifuna emerging as its face and leader.
The party is now expected to undertake the necessary legal and administrative steps to change its name and align its structures with the Linda Mwananchi identity.
The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties has already approved changes to the names of TEP officials, clearing an important hurdle in the process.
The move comes days after the Registrar approved reservation of the Linda Mwananchi Movement name for a period of 90 days, following a ruling by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal.
The tribunal had overturned an earlier decision by the Registrar declining to reserve the name, paving the way for the Sifuna-led faction to proceed with its plans.
Sifuna had on Sunday announced plans to transform TEP into the political party through which the movement will contest the 2027 elections.
“In the coming days, we shall be seeking to rebrand this party, The Equitable Party, to the Linda Mwananchi Movement,” he said.
The decision gives the movement an existing political party structure instead of having to go through the lengthy process of registering a new party.
TEP was unveiled on Sunday as Sifuna’s political vehicle after the movement encountered regulatory hurdles in its efforts to secure the Linda Mwananchi name.
The adoption of TEP followed negotiations with the party’s founding leadership, which agreed to pave the way for Sifuna and his allies to take charge of the political outfit.
The Nairobi senator has been building the Linda Mwananchi Movement across the country through rallies and grassroots mobilisation, positioning it as a new political force ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.
The movement has attracted a number of opposition politicians, including Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi and other leaders who have broken ranks with the Orange Democratic Movement.
The group has been seeking to establish itself as an alternative political vehicle following divisions within ODM and growing realignment ahead of the 2027 elections.
Sifuna and his allies have insisted that Linda Mwananchi is more than a political party, describing it as a grassroots movement focused on defending the interests of ordinary Kenyans.
The formal adoption of TEP is expected to provide the movement with a ready-made party structure, while the planned name change would allow it to retain the Linda Mwananchi identity under which it has been mobilising supporters.
The Registrar’s approval of the Linda Mwananchi name reservation is valid for no more than 90 days, within which the promoters are expected to complete the next stages of the registration process.
The development also marks a turnaround for the movement, which had faced uncertainty after the Registrar initially rejected efforts to reserve the Linda Mwananchi name.
The dispute eventually ended up before the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal, which ordered the Registrar to reconsider the application. The subsequent approval cleared the way for the movement to pursue its preferred identity.
