NAIROBI, Kenya – The Equitable Party (TEP) has approved plans to rebrand as the Linda Mwananchi Movement, taking another step towards transforming the outfit into the political vehicle for the movement ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The party’s National Executive Council (NEC) approved the proposed name change during a meeting on Wednesday, October 7.
The decision paves the way for TEP to begin the legal and administrative processes required to adopt the Linda Mwananchi Movement identity.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, who was unveiled as the party leader during its launch on Sunday, said TEP would be transformed into the political party through which the broader Linda Mwananchi Movement would contest the 2027 elections.
“In the coming days, and as has been resolved by the principles of Linda Mwananchi, who you see here, we shall be seeking to rebrand this party, the equitable party, to the Linda Mwananchi Movement,” Sifuna said.
Sifuna Warns Of Possible Setbacks
Sifuna, however, warned that the party would retain its current TEP identity if further obstacles were placed in the way of the rebranding process.
“If more obstacles are put in the path of rebranding this party, TEP, as we have experienced in the past, the party will continue in its present identity until the ballots are cast in 2027,” he said.
The planned transition comes days after the Registrar of Political Parties approved the reservation of the Linda Mwananchi Movement name for 90 days.
The approval followed a ruling by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal, which overturned an earlier decision by the Registrar declining to reserve the name.
The Tribunal ruling cleared the way for the Sifuna-led faction to proceed with its plans to establish the movement’s political identity.
The Registrar has also approved changes to the names of TEP officials, an administrative requirement ahead of the proposed transition.
TEP To Become Political Vehicle For Movement
The adoption of TEP followed negotiations with the party’s founding leadership, which agreed to pave the way for Sifuna and his allies to take charge of the political outfit.
Sifuna and his allies have maintained that Linda Mwananchi is more than a political party, describing it as a grassroots movement focused on championing the interests of ordinary Kenyans.
The latest decision is expected to accelerate efforts to complete the legal and administrative requirements for the rebranding as the country heads towards the 2027 General Election.
The proposed transition will, however, remain subject to the applicable requirements governing political parties and registration of party names.
