Linda Mwananchi leaders are considering at least four
\nparties, including Ukombozi People\u2019s Party, as their vehicle for the 2027
\nGeneral Election<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
While a search for the party on the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties website failed to provide details of the outfit, sources say the party is a rebranded form of UDP.<\/p>\n
The United Democratic Party (UDP) is linked to the late
\nformer Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo.<\/p>\n
The movement is seeking to form a party after the registrar
\nrejected their bid to register Linda Mwananchi as a political party or use it
\nas a brand name.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a party, but we don\u2019t want the state to know what
\nwe are doing. Once we are ready, we will do a proper launch and announcement,\u201d
\nVihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi told the Star.<\/p>\n
Osotsi neither confirmed nor denied the claims, but said the
\nleaders were treading carefully because of what he described as \u201cstate tactics\u201d
\nto infiltrate or scuttle their plans.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe state is frustrating the registration of Linda
\nMwananchi. We are now in court. We are at the Political Parties Disputes
\nTribunal to challenge the decision of the registrar,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Sources within the movement said the leaders were
\nconsidering at least four existing political parties as possible vehicles for
\nthe 2027 polls.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are looking at up to four outfits. At the appropriate
\ntime, you will get to know our new vehicle. That is all I can tell you,\u201d a
\nLinda Mwananchi insider told the Star.<\/p>\n
Addressing a Forum of Young Aspirants (FOYA) at Ufungamano
\nHouse on Tuesday, Linda Mwananchi leader Edwin Sifuna said they are fighting
\nthe registrar in court for a brand name.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we are fighting for is not a party. We have parties.
\nWe are fighting for our brand. Our name. We have many parties. Kasongo thinks
\nhe is dealing with children,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are political children of Raila Odinga. Raila Odinga has
\nplan A, B, C, D, E, F, G up to Z. Did we sleep in class? Just know we have
\nparties. We want our brand. We have built this thing. We want the registrar to
\ngive us our brand, and we brand it in whatever party that we choose from the
\nones that we have.\u201d<\/p>\n
The registrar rejected the registration after finding that
\nanother outfit was already registered under a similar name.<\/p>\n
The Linda Mwananchi team, however, has questioned the
\ndecision and accused the registrar\u2019s office of frustrating its political
\nambitions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to expose the mischief in that office. We have
\nwritten to him to give us the particulars of the party he claims is registered
\nas Linda, but he has refused,\u201d Osotsi said.<\/p>\n
During the burial of Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale\u2019s wife
\nlast week, Sifuna hinted that the movement had already secured a political
\nparty.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, some people think Sifuna doesn\u2019t have a party?
\nLet our supporters relax, a rose by any other name still sells,\u201d Sifuna said.<\/p>\n
The Star established that the movement\u2019s political identity
\nwas at the centre of its weekend retreat in Limuru, Kiambu County.<\/p>\n
The retreat came as the October 15 deadline for political
\nparties to submit details of their authorised officials and specimen signatures
\nto the IEBC draws closer.<\/p>\n
Some leaders have raised concerns that the movement could be
\nlocked out of the 2027 elections because of the registration hurdles and the
\ntight timelines set by the IEBC.<\/p>\n
IEBC has already gazetted election guidelines requiring
\npolitical parties intending to participate in the General Election to submit
\nthe names and specimen signatures of their authorised persons by October 15,
\n2026.<\/p>\n
\u201cEach political party intending to participate in the
\ngeneral election shall submit the names and specimen signatures of its
\nauthorised persons on or before Thursday, October 15, 2026,\u201d the guidelines
\nstate.<\/p>\n
The notice also requires participating parties to submit
\nnomination rules certified by the Registrar of Political Parties to the IEBC by
\nOctober 30, 2026.<\/p>\n
The deadlines have heightened pressure on Sifuna and his
\nallies to settle on a political vehicle and complete the statutory requirements
\nneeded to participate in the elections.<\/p>\n
DCP deputy party leader Cleophas Malala said the remaining
\nperiod was too short for the movement to register a new political party and
\ncomplete all the requirements.<\/p>\n
Malala urged Khalwale to consider surrendering his existing
\nparty to Sifuna, arguing that this would provide a faster route to the ballot.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithin 50 days, you cannot register a political party. I
\nwant to urge Khalwale that if you are truly committed to Sifuna\u2019s presidency,
\nthen surrender your party to him [Sifuna] so that he becomes the party leader.\u201d<\/p>\n
Khalwale has publicly associated himself with a newly
\nregistered political party.<\/p>\n
Sifuna, however, has sought to reassure his supporters,
\ninsisting that the movement is ahead of the game and will unveil its 2027
\npolitical vehicle at the appropriate time.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
INSTANT ANALYSIS<\/p>\n
Linda Mwananchi\u2019s biggest challenge is time. The rejection
\nof its registration has forced the movement to search for an alternative
\npolitical vehicle just weeks before key IEBC deadlines. The uncertainty could
\nexpose divisions, weaken its grassroots mobilisation and confuse supporters.
\nWhile leaders insist they have a plan, secrecy risks creating doubts about
\ntheir preparedness. Adopting an existing party may offer a shortcut, but could
\nalso trigger ownership disputes and weaken the movement\u2019s identity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Linda Mwananchi leaders are considering at least four
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