- Muungano Party, led by former Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana, plans to change its name to The Mwananchi Party.
- The Registrar of Political Parties published a Gazette Notice giving the public seven days to raise objections to the proposed change.
- The move comes as Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s Linda Mwananchi faction battles over the Mwananchi political identity.
- The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal recently allowed Sifuna’s faction to pursue reservation and registration of the Mwananchi name pending an appeal.
- The latest application could introduce another claimant in the growing dispute over the Mwananchi identity ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has been hit by a fresh challenge in the battle over the Mwananchi political identity after the Muungano Party announced plans to adopt the name The Mwananchi Party.
The Registrar of Political Parties published a Gazette Notice on August 24 informing Kenyans that Muungano Party, also known as MP, intends to change its name to The Mwananchi Party, or TMP. The proposed change comes at a time when Sifuna’s political camp is already involved in a legal dispute over the Mwananchi name.
The Registrar said the proposed change had been made under Section 20 (1) (d) of the Political Parties Act. Members of the public and other interested parties have been given seven days from the date of publication to submit their views.
The notice also covers anyone who may object to the proposed name or claim an interest in the Mwananchi identity. Such submissions are required to be presented to the Registrar of Political Parties within the stipulated period.
If the application succeeds, Muungano Party will stop using its current name and operate as The Mwananchi Party. The move could therefore have wider political implications as different groups position themselves ahead of the 2027 elections.
The development comes shortly after the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal issued orders in favour of the faction associated with Sifuna in the ongoing dispute over the Mwananchi identity.
The Tribunal allowed the Linda Mwananchi faction to proceed with the reservation and registration of the Mwananchi party name while an appeal is pending. It also stopped the Registrar of Political Parties from registering the name Linda Mwananchi in favour of another person until the dispute is determined.
The orders provided temporary relief to Sifuna and his allies as they continue their efforts to establish a political vehicle ahead of the next General Election.
The Tribunal also allowed the reservation and registration process for the Liberty National Democratic Alliance, commonly known as LINDA Party, to continue pending the hearing and determination of the case.
The competing sides have maintained that they met the requirements set by the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties and have a legal claim to the Linda identity.
The dispute has added another layer to the political realignment taking place ahead of 2027, with different groups seeking party structures that can support their campaigns and wider mobilisation efforts.
Muungano Party is led by Kivutha Kibwana, the former Makueni governor and a long-serving figure in Kenyan politics. Its proposed change of name has now raised questions about how the party’s new identity could affect the emerging political landscape.
It remains unclear whether Kibwana and Sifuna have reached any agreement over the Mwananchi name or whether the two political camps are pursuing separate strategies. Sifuna has previously indicated that his faction already had a political party that could provide a vehicle for the 2027 elections, although he did not reveal its name.
For now, the Linda Mwananchi brand remains at the centre of Sifuna’s political mobilisation. The Muungano application could, however, complicate efforts to establish a single political identity around the Mwananchi name.
Mwananchi identity becomes increasingly contested
The proposed name change comes as political activity gathers pace ahead of the 2027 General Election. Political leaders and emerging movements are increasingly looking for party structures and identities that can help them build support at the grassroots.
Sifuna’s faction has been using Linda Mwananchi in its nationwide mobilisation, while Muungano is now seeking official recognition of The Mwananchi Party name. The competing claims could lead to further legal and political battles if objections are filed against the proposed change.
The Registrar’s decision on the application will therefore be closely watched as the contest over the Mwananchi identity continues to take shape.
