Sifuna Drops Hint of New Political Party Amid Linda Mwananchi Registration Woes
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has dropped a strong hint that he could soon unveil a brand new political party, even as uncertainty continues to surround the registration of his Linda Mwananchi outfit.
The senator made these remarks on Friday, August 21, during the burial of Gloria Sekeiyan Khalwale, wife to Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, held at Malinya Stadium in Kakamega County. Sifuna spoke after mourners at the event openly called on him to form a political party through which he could pursue his political ambitions ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Responding to the calls, Sifuna assured the crowd that plans were already underway, though he was cagey about details. “I have heard calls on the need for Sifuna to have a party. I want our people to understand: do you just sit and think that Sifuna doesn’t have a party?” he posed, a remark that drew loud cheers from the mourners gathered at the stadium.
The Nairobi Senator went on to disclose that his political team has been working behind the scenes to register Linda Mwananchi, but accused unnamed authorities of frustrating the process. He did not hide his frustration, telling the crowd that even if some people looked down on him and his team as young and inexperienced, they had learnt their politics from the late Raila Odinga. He urged his supporters to remain patient as efforts to secure the party’s registration continue, insisting that Kenyans were looking for credible leadership as the country heads toward the next election.
On the specific name of the new outfit he intends to launch, Sifuna kept his cards close to his chest, only promising that his team would make an announcement in due course. “We will come here and let you know the name; leave that to us,” he told the mourners.
The remarks come against the backdrop of a setback suffered by the Linda Mwananchi movement. The Registrar of Political Parties had earlier declined an application to reserve the name Linda Mwananchi Party of Kenya, commonly referred to as LMPK. According to the Registrar’s office, the application was rejected over concerns that the name and its accompanying slogans bore close similarities to those of existing political parties, in addition to unspecified public interest considerations.
Since the rejection, leaders of the Linda Mwananchi movement have held consultations with the Registrar of Political Parties, John Cox Lorionokou, in a bid to have the decision reversed and pave way for the outfit to eventually become a fully registered political party.
Interestingly, Sifuna’s remarks came just a day after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission formally gazetted the election period for the August 10, 2027 General Election, setting out key deadlines that political parties must meet ahead of the polls. Among the requirements, parties are expected to submit their authorised persons and specimen signatures by October 15, 2026, while their nomination rules must be certified by October 30 the same year.
With the electoral calendar now official and pressure mounting from his political base, all eyes will be on Sifuna and his team to see whether Linda Mwananchi finally gets the green light, or whether Kenyans will soon be introduced to an entirely new political vehicle altogether.
