Sifuna's options on political party

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s signal that the Linda Mwananchi movement could abandon its name and adopt an alternative political party has shifted the focus to some of his key allies who have registered political parties ahead of next year’s polls.

The dispute surrounding the registration of Linda Mwananchi party, Sifuna’s preferred party name will force the leaders to shift to their fall-back plan especially because of the strict guidelines gazette by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission  (IEBC) on next year’s general election.

According to the timelines, Political parties have been given until October 15, 2026 to submit the names of their authorized persons and specimen signatures to the IEBC.

By October 30, 2026, parties must have their nomination rules certified by the Registrar of Political Parties, and the certified rules must be submitted to the Commission by November 6, 2026.

The October 30 deadlines gives Sifuna little time to continue pushing through the legal channels on using their preferred name following a successful registration of another party; Linda Mwananchi Party of Kenya (LMPK), which was the basis which the Registrar of Political Parties to reject Sifuna’s name.

Addressing mourners in Kakamega on Friday, Sifuna, oblivious of the tight guidelines faced the reality and informed his supporters that they could up with any name since it was him and the leaders who carried the spirit of Linda Mwananchi movement. 

He said the name of the political vehicle was secondary to the leadership behind it, suggesting that his supporters would follow the movement regardless of the identity it ultimately adopts.

“If they close all doors, we will come here and say ‘Tent Party of Kenya’ or ‘Maua Party’ or ‘Grass Party’, but you will follow your leaders,” Sifuna told supporters.

He said what mattered was the credibility of the leadership rather than the name attached to the political outfit.

“It doesn’t matter which name we give it. What Kenyans are looking for is credible leadership. A name is just a name,” he said.

He argued that some political rivals assume younger leaders lack the experience and structures needed to compete at the highest level.

The former ODM Secretary-General said his political journey had been shaped under veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga, whom he described as the country’s foremost political strategist.

Some of Sifuna’s close alleis who have successfully registered political outfits include Kakamega Senator Bonny Khalwale (United Patriotic Movement (UPM), Kiharu Mp Ndindi Nyoro (Peoples Party of Kenya (PPK) Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) National Treasurer Timothy Bosire’ new outfit United National Congress (UNC) and Saboti MP Caleb Amisi’s People’s Renaissance Movement (PM).

All the leaders have welcomed Sifuna to join their respective parties and field candidates ahead of next year’s general election.

Khalwale and Sifuna have lately displayed camaraderie and a united front in their political future with the Kakamega Senator pushing for an Sifuna-Kalonzo ticket while Sifuna reciprocated by seemingly endorsing his gubernatorial ambitions.

On Friday, Sifuna spoke about his relationship with Khalwale at Malinya Stadium during the burial of Khalwale's wife, Gloria where he revealed that their friendship was hard-earned, noting they previously clashed on rival political sides during television debates and weathered fierce political battles together.

Our friendship with Senator Bonny Khalwale did not come easy, when they defeated us in 2022 I requested him to take me to Moses Wetangula to congratulate him as Speaker of the Senate; and Wetangula opened for me a 'file' of everything negative I had said about him, but luckily I had gone with Khalwale who was an elder and the blows were limited,” he said.

He added ‘When he takes a stand he doesn’t care what will happen, he has been targeted for speaking his mind, he is a true representative of the people who. I did not know that we would be in the same team with him

On his part, Khalwale claimed that a study he attributed to Chinese researchers predicts an overwhelming victory for an opposition ticket led by Sifuna and Kalonzo.

Bosire who worked with Sifuna in ODM had registered the UNC party which has opened offices across 28 out of 47 counties in the country.

The Former Kitutu Masaba MP observed a low political profile since the internal wrangles in ODM started with insiders saying he is set to formally resign in ODM next month to formally join the Opposition with a view of courting Sifuna to join his party.

Kiharu Mp’s PPK party is another option for Sifuna. In a televised Press briefing, the Mp confirmed that he has been holding wide consultations and communicating with various political figures, including Sifuna, who he described as his brother, as part of his shifting political alignment and discussions looking toward the 2027 election

“I have sat down with Peter Munya, Martha Karua, James Orengo, Sifuna who is my brother...’ he said.

Nyoro’s choice of the chief guest, Siaya Govenror James Orengo, during his public announcement was quite telling and Orengo’s remarks that he was ready to work with the MP suggested that there could be possible union between Linda Mwananchi and PPK.

“I look forward to working with you as Linda Mwananchi. We have been working before, but now, as the leader of a political party and I, as the party leader of Linda Mwananchi, our work begins now, and I think we are going to sit together to work together,” Orengo said.

 Saboti MP who was among the founders of the Linda Mwananchi has also publicly invited Sifuna and his allies to join his PM party and has been praising him of representing a fresh, generational political shift in the country’s Presidential contest.

The party said it has opened its political platform to Sifuna and the Linda Mwananchi movement, offering them an alternative vehicle to contest the 2027 General Election amid a growing dispute over the registration of their preferred party name.

Through its Secretary-General Isaac Fwamba said the party was ready to give Linda Mwananchi space to field candidates across all elective positions, including the presidency, Parliament and county assemblies.

Political analysts maintain that Sifuna must now move quickly and announce his preferred party as time was moving fact towards the general election and he risked tiring

his supporters for appearing as if he was not ready for a turbulence political journey ahead.

According to Innocent Musumbi, a political and governance analyst, the Nairobi Senator should stop dilly-dallying and show Kenyans that he was an alternative leader.

"He should go full throttle and announce his Presidential bid and his decision on a political party without delay dallying. The Gen Z wanted a clean slate on

Kenya's leadership and it is the him time the Senator start offering solutions to Kenya's problems," Musumbi said