Sifuna's movement faces new hurdle as rival group registers 'LINDA' party

A fresh dispute over political identity has emerged after a new group moved to register a political party bearing the ‘Linda’ name and donning colors similar to the Linda Mwananchi movement's, a development that threatens to complicate the ongoing efforts by the Linda Mwananchi movement to formally register its own political party ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The latest development comes just a day after leaders of the Linda Mwananchi movement visited the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) in Nairobi to push for the registration of their party, accusing the registrar of delaying the process despite months of engagement.

The movement has maintained that its application was lodged earlier and has vowed to pursue all legal avenues to secure registration.

However, another outfit identifying itself as the Liberty National Democratic Alliance (LINDA) Party has now surfaced, claiming it has already secured approval for its proposed party name and key registration documents. It is now not clear if the abbreviation alone merits the denial of the name to the group led by James Orengo and Edwin Sifuna.

Speaking outside the ORPP headquarters after submitting the party's documents, the outfit's founder and party leader, Phenasio Thuku said the registration process for the LINDA Party began in 2024 and was now nearing completion.

"Our name has been approved, our manifesto has been approved, our ideology has been approved, our party constitution has also been approved and our nomination rules have been approved. We are on the right path to being fully registered by the ORPP," Thuku said.

He announced that the party would soon be officially launched under the slogan ‘Linda Kenya, Linda Maisha Kenya,’ saying its ideology is anchored on protecting Kenya's sovereignty, constitutionalism, the rule of law, human dignity and individual liberties.

Thuku dismissed claims that the party had been hurriedly formed to derail the registration of the Linda Mwananchi movement, insisting the initiative was conceived long before the current political developments.

"The party was founded back in 2024. We have not been waiting. This is the process of registration that has taken us this far," he said.

He further denounced claims that they have been sponsored to frustrate another political formation.

“This is no one's project. It is my own project,” he said.

He also distanced the party from the Linda Mwananchi movement, maintaining that his outfit was the legitimate LINDA Party.

"This party is not connected to any other Linda movement. We are the legitimate founders of the LINDA Party," he said.

The emergence of the rival outfit comes at a time when the Linda Mwananchi movement, associated with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and other opposition leaders, is seeking to transition into a fully-fledged political party.

During Tuesday's visit to the ORPP, the movement accused unnamed individuals of attempting to register a party using a similar name and colours, warning that such a move could mislead supporters and undermine its political identity.

The Political Parties Act requires the ORPP to assess proposed party names, symbols, constitutions and other statutory documents before granting provisional registration, with objections allowed where similarities are likely to cause public confusion.

With both camps now laying claim to the ‘Linda’ political brand, the registration process is expected to draw increased scrutiny as the race to position political parties ahead of the 2027 elections gathers momentum.