Which way Sifuna? Race against time to secure political vehicle

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and other opposition leaders address the Press at the SKM Command Centre in Karen, Nairobi. [Dennis Kavisu, Standard]

With 20 days left for political parties to submit their names and specimen signatures of their authorised persons to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP), Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has a tough balancing act between proceeding with legal battles over the choice of his political party and joining the already existing parties to beat the deadlines.

Parties are also required to submit their elections and nomination rules to the ORPP between September 28 and October 16, 2026. The Registrar is expected to certify the nomination rules by October 30, 2026, after which parties must submit the rules to the IEBC by November 6.

The submission of party membership lists to the ORPP will take place between March 16 and 23, 2027, with certification of the membership registers expected by March 23.

For the third time, the Senator has been frustrated in his efforts by broad based government forces opposed to the wave brought about by the Linda Mwananchi Movement. His efforts to register the outfit as a political party was and to rebrand the United Democratic Party (UDP) to Ukombozi Peoples Party (UPP) has also been impeded.

On September 10, the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal upheld the removal of Sifuna as the ODM Secretary General in his third attempt to fight on.

Then came attempts to register the Linda Mwananchi Movement party when the ORRP denied them the chance, indicating that another group identified as The Liberty National Democratic Alliance (associated with the acronym LINDA), had already reserved the name in the ORPP.

 The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) is expected to deliver its ruling on September 30, regarding the ongoing name registration dispute surrounding the Linda Mwananchi movement.

Even as Sifuna and his allies await the ruling form the PPDT, the team’s efforts to rebrand former Lugari Mp the late Cyrus Jirongo’s United Democratic Party (UDP) into Ukombozi Peoples Party (UPP) hit a snag after the Registrar of Political Parties rejected the application after the United Opposition reserved the name to use in their The Ukombozi Alliance (TUA).

Then comes another conundrum; it has emerged that a new group has reserved the UPP name in May last year but were convinced by Sifunba’s allies to discontinue the registration so that UDP may rebrand to UPP.

However, the group, through Allan Akivaga, the proposed Secretary General of the party on Tuesday wrote to ORPP informing the office of their intention to continue with the registration process.

This would mean that Sifuna’s team would not be in a position to rebrand into UDP leaving them with the only chance of using the party as it is.

Additionally, Sifuna who has consistently worn a brave face, maintaining that he already has a party must also work on a strategy to prevent a fallout from his allies who have been scrambling to register political parties within his orbit to woo him to use it to advance his Presidential ambitions.

Some of his allies who have registered or gained control of political parties include Embakasi East Bbu Owino (The Mwananchi Party) Trans Zoia Governor George Natembeya (UPP) Saboti MP Caleb Amisi (People's Renaissance Movement (PM), Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale (United Patriotic Movement (UPM) and ODM National Treasurer Timothy Bosire (United National Congress (UNC).

Already, cracks have emerged within the Linda Mwananchi team as Sifuna allies accuse each other of being used by the State to try and mislead and confuse Sifuna over a choice of political party.

Amisi has clashed with Natembeya over his move to seek to rebrand UDP while he had already secured a political party that would be Sifuna's political vehicle while Babu Owino has registered his displeasure over Sifuna’s failure to make it clear which political vehicle he had chosen.

According to Babu, the disagreement intensified after the Ukombozi People’s Party was introduced into discussions within Linda Mwananchi, with Sifuna subsequently being linked to the party as a possible vehicle for his presidential campaign.

“I called Sifuna; we met in his office and asked him about the Ukombozi Political Party. After that, there has been a little push and pull,” Babu said.

The disagreement has since pitted Babu’s proposal for The Mwananchi Party against calls by Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya and other leaders for Sifuna to use the Ukombozi People’s Party.

Natembeya has publicly backed Ukombozi as the vehicle for Sifuna’s presidential bid, creating a clear political divide over the structure of Linda Mwananchi.

Despite the controversy, Sifuna’s allies who include Vihiga Senator Godfrey Ostosi and the Linda Mwananchi Deputy Spokesperson Titus Makhanu, maintain that Sifuna will launch his political party on October 1.

According to Makhanu, the Movement was also considering the Linda Mwananchi movement coalition, which they say could become the umbrella for opposition parties to challenge President William Ruto who is seeking a second term.

The strategy would be a cure of a possible fall out within the parties that are allied to Linda Mwanainchi and at the same time give the coalition a bargaining power with the rest of the Opposition team led by Kalonzo and Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) Rigathi Gachagua.

The use of Linda Mwananchi is however dependent on the September 30 ruling.

“In less than 13 days from today. Edwin Watenya will be launching his official party. The party that will now assist him in getting into a coalition or an arrangement that will finally send Ruto home in 2027,” Makhanu said.

According to analysts, strict timelines by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and ORPP limit Sifuna’s chances of registering a new party or rebranding an existing party since opening that he would join an old party and use its party identities to beat the deadline.

“Sifuna’s options are limited since there is no time to form a political party, he can only join an existing party and the dangers of that is that the said officials might be influenced by external forces to kick Sifuna out of the party at a critical juncture ahead of next year’s polls,” Geoffrey Sagana, a political analyst noted.

Sagana drew parallels of what transpired with President Ruto in 2011 when he sought to take over United Democratic Movement (UDM) after ditching ODM when the existing UDM leadership, led by founding chairman Lt Gen (Rtd) John Koech and Secretary General Martin Ole Kamwaro, fiercely resisted Ruto’s entry, accusing him of orchestrating an irregular coup within the party's National Executive Council (NEC).

“It also happened to Former Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria when he sought to take over the leadership of Peoples Empowerment Party (PEP) after assisting the party secure Juja parliamentary seat in 2021 when George Koimburi was elected. The party would later distance itself from Kuria following internal wrangles and disagreements over control of the party's National Executive Committee,” he said.

Sagana opined that political parties in Kenya are briefcase parties that can be auctioned anytime, saying the political class, fully aware of such games result in registering their own political vehicles to advance their interests.

Lawyer Ishmael Nyaribo advised Sifuna to move swiftly and secure a political party, saying Kenyans might not take him seriously if he fails to take control of a political party.

“There are a lot of chances for Sifuna, he should look around broadly and talk with the parties that are there and talk to coalitions that are being formed so that he doesn’t seem to be a person without a party. For sure if you don’t have a party in this country, I don’t think people will take you seriously,” he said.

Whether Sifuna has failed to get hold of a political party due to naivety or because of a strategy to keep his supporters guessing and then surprise them is a matter that will unravel within three weeks as the deadlines loom.