The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties has officially approved the registration of the Linda Mwananchi Movement's name. This development comes after months of uncertainty regarding the political outfit's future. In a letter dated October 1, Registrar John Lorionkou stated that the decision was made following a ruling by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal.
The Tribunal had ordered the Registrar to reserve the name within seven days. The approved name reservation is valid for 90 days, meaning the faction must complete the full provisional and formal political party registration process within this window ahead of the 2027 elections. The letter read in part, "Pursuant to the judgment in PPDTA/E001/2026 Michael Caroli Omondi & Another vs Registrar of Political Parties and Section 8 of the PPA, your application for the name Linda Mwananchi Movement (LMM) has been approved."
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, seen as the party's flag-bearer, shared the letter with a witty caption, "wametii." Sifuna is expected to make his official pronouncement in the coming days. He has been fronted as the party's flag-bearer in the lead-up to the 2027 General Election. The Tribunal found that the Registrar's decision to decline the reservation of the name was without legal justification and amounted to a denial of the applicants' right to form or participate in the formation of a political party.
The Tribunal also found that Linda Mwananchi was distinct from the rival Liberty National Democratic Alliance (LINDA) and that LINDA's prior reservation had already lapsed by operation of law. This ruling paved the way for the Linda Mwananchi Movement to proceed with its registration. The party's progress had been stalled due to the dispute over its name.
Amidst the row, Embakasi East Member of Parliament (MP) Babu Owino was also caught in the crossfire for the registration of The Mwananchi Party (TMP). Owino clarified that he began pursuing his own political platform after deciding to run for the Nairobi gubernatorial seat on February 10, 2025. He noted that the outfit predated the formation of the Linda Mwananchi Movement faction.
Babu Owino's clarification was necessary as critics questioned the timeline and name of his party relative to the Linda Mwananchi movement. The Linda Mwananchi Movement's approval is a significant boost to Sifuna's team, which had been facing uncertainty over the party's name. The party's registration process is expected to be completed within the 90-day window.
The approval of the Linda Mwananchi Movement's name is a crucial step towards the party's registration. Sifuna's team is expected to make significant progress in the coming days. The party's flag-bearer is expected to make an official pronouncement on the party's plans for the 2027 General Election.
Key points
- Registrar of Political Parties approves Linda Mwananchi Movement name after Tribunal order
- The approved name reservation is valid for 90 days
- Tribunal finds Registrar's decision to decline name reservation was without legal justification
