Kenyan newspapers on October 3 covered various topics, including the controversy surrounding the life of late Wicknell Chivayo, a Zimbabwean businessman who died in a chopper crash on September 30. Chivayo had reached a court-approved child support settlement with his former wife Sonja Louise Madzikanda in April 2025. The settlement ended a legal dispute over luxury vehicles, overseas property, and hundreds of millions of shillings in assets.
The Zimbabwe High Court sanctioned an agreement under which Chivayo committed to paying KSh 649 million towards the upkeep and financial future of their two children. Of that total, KSh 285 million had already been paid at the time of the court's approval, with the remaining KSh 363 million required to be transferred within 30 days into a bank account under Madzikanda's control. The funds were intended to be invested to cover the children's long-term needs.
Madzikanda had initially sought a lump-sum payment of KSh 3.2 billion, monthly maintenance of KSh 5.1 million, and an annual holiday and entertainment budget of KSh 130 million. She also sought sole custody of the children, with Chivayo granted only limited access. Her claim listed a substantial range of assets, including luxury vehicles and properties in Zimbabwe and South Africa.
The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) provisionally approved the name "Linda Mwananchi" for 90 days, giving Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna's political movement a narrow window to formalise its structures. The clearance followed a ruling by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal, which directed the registrar to reconsider the movement's earlier rejected application.
The provisional approval has drawn attention to a deeper strategic dilemma facing Sifuna: whether to proceed with Linda Mwananchi as a brand-new party or take over one of the already-registered parties that his allies had been exploring as fallback options. One such option was the United Democratic Party (UDP), historically associated with the late Cyrus Jirongo and currently linked to Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya.
Several prominent Linda Mwananchi figures have already established their own parties, including Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Saboti MP Caleb Amisi, and Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale. Siaya governor James Orengo, who had also declared interest in the movement's presidential ticket, has separately assumed leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Political analysts say Sifuna must now decide quickly whether these separate parties will remain independent, merge under a single umbrella, or form a coalition ahead of the 2027 general election. The 90-day name reservation also places the movement under significant time pressure, with requirements on membership and representation that must be met for full registration.
Key points
- Wicknell Chivayo's ex-wife sought KSh 3.2 billion in divorce settlement
- Linda Mwananchi group faces strategic dilemma over party registration
- Several prominent figures establish own parties amid Linda Mwananchi controversy
