Edwin Sifuna's the Equitable Party Approves Rebrand to Linda Mwananchi Movement

The National Executive Council of The Equitable Party has approved a plan to rename the party as the Linda Mwananchi Movement, moving Senator Edwin Sifuna’s political vehicle closer to a formal identity ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The decision was taken at a Wednesday meeting on October 7, following the party’s launch on Sunday where Sifuna was unveiled as its leader.

Sifuna said the rebrand will be pursued in the coming days and that the party will retain the TEP name only if further obstacles arise.

The Registrar of Political Parties has already approved the reservation of the Linda Mwananchi Movement name for a 90-day period and has changed the names of TEP officials, satisfying an administrative requirement.

The reservation follows a ruling by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal that overturned the Registrar’s earlier refusal to reserve the name.

The tribunal’s order cleared the way for the movement to continue its plans, while another applicant, Charles Wanyonyi, has asked the Registrar to prioritise his application for the name Linda Mwananchi, Party of Kenya.

Parties contesting the 2027 election must submit authorised officials’ names and specimen signatures to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission by October 15, a deadline that the rebranding will need to meet.

The Linda Mwananchi Movement has attracted several opposition figures, including Suba South MP Caroli Omondi and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, who have left the Orange Democratic Movement.

Sifuna has described the movement as a grassroots effort to defend ordinary Kenyans’ interests, positioning it as an alternative to the established political order ahead of the 2027 polls.

By adopting an existing party structure, the movement avoids the lengthy process of registering a new party and can contest the election under the Linda Mwananchi banner.