The Equitable Party (TEP), now led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, has issued a public notice of its intention to change its name to the Linda Mwananchi Movement, moving the faction a step closer to having its own branded vehicle for the 2027 General Election.

According to NTV, the notice issued on Saturday, October 10, 2026 also signals that the party intends to adopt a new constitution, colours, headquarters and symbol.

How it got here

The notice follows a fast-moving fortnight for the Linda Mwananchi movement, which emerged from a split within ODM.

  • September 30: The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal set aside the Registrar of Political Parties' August 7 refusal to reserve the Linda Mwananchi name, Kenyans.co.ke reported.
  • October 1: Registrar John Cox Lorionokou approved the reservation of the name for up to 90 days. The reservation alone does not register the movement as a party.
  • October 4: Sifuna was unveiled as TEP's leader at a ceremony in Nairobi attended by allies including James Orengo and George Natembeya, the Nation reported.
  • October 7: TEP's National Executive Council approved the proposed rebranding, opening the way for the legal and administrative steps now under way.

The Registrar has also approved changes to the names of TEP officials, an administrative requirement ahead of the transition.

The movement turned to TEP after an earlier plan to take over the United Democratic Party ran into factional resistance and complaints before the tribunal.

Fallback plan

Sifuna has said the party will keep its current identity if the name change is blocked.

"In the event that more obstacles are put in the path of rebranding this party ... the party will continue with its present identity until the ballots are cast in 2027," he said at the launch, according to Kenyans.co.ke.

The process still faces hurdles. A rival applicant, Charles Wanyonyi, has pressed the Registrar over his own "Linda Mwananchi Party of Kenya" application, which the Nation says was filed in February. The Registrar's office has meanwhile defended its handling of the matter and denied claims of state interference, The Star reported.

What happens next

The change must clear the Registrar's public notification process before it takes effect. Parties planning to contest the 2027 polls also face an IEBC deadline of October 15 to submit the names and specimen signatures of their authorised officials, the Nation reported. Linda Mwananchi leaders have said they hope to complete the rebrand within about three weeks.

Not all of Sifuna's allies are on board: Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has said he will run under his own Mwananchi Party, a separate outfit.

Photo: LuffyDe / Wikimedia Commons, CC0