Sifuna's Linda Mwananchi takes over Equitable Party as rename heads to gazette

The Registrar of Political Parties has started gazetting The Equitable Party's (TEP) change of name to the Linda Mwananchi Movement, giving Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna's movement a registered party for the 2027 General Election.

In a letter dated 13 October, the Registrar said the process had begun after the party submitted its documents, including a resolution by its National Executive Committee on 8 October. The party published a public notice of the change on 10 October.

Under the Political Parties Act, the party must tell the Registrar about any public objections it receives within 14 days of the notice, and how it dealt with them, before the change is complete.

Sifuna was installed as the party's leader on 4 October. TEP leader Gilbert Marava said the party would restructure to bring in Sifuna's supporters while keeping existing members, and that Sifuna was expected to run for president on its ticket.

The step follows a long fight over the name. The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal had earlier ordered the Registrar to reserve the Linda Mwananchi name, finding it distinct from the Liberty National Democratic Alliance (LINDA), whose earlier reservation had lapsed.

No response from rival parties had been reported at the time of writing.