Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna takes over The Equitable Party as his 2027 vehicle and plans to rename it Linda Mwananchi. What it means for Kibra politics
Photo: Ninara / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0), file photo, cropped. Logo: The Senate.
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Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna takes over The Equitable Party as his 2027 vehicle and plans to rename it Linda Mwananchi. What it means for Kibra politics.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna now has a party. On Sunday 4 October, at the Sarova Stanley hotel in Nairobi, he was declared leader and 2027 presidential candidate of The Equitable Party, an existing registered party handed over to him by its leader, Gilbert Marava.
"Sifuna is going to run for president, and he will be the next leader of the Equitable Party," Marava said. Suba South MP Caroli Omondi declared Sifuna the single presidential candidate of the Linda Mwananchi movement.
Sifuna, who was named Linda Mwananchi's candidate last week, said the party would apply to rename itself the Linda Mwananchi Movement. The Registrar of Political Parties, John Lorionkou, reserved that name on 1 October for 90 days after the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal found that the Registrar's refusal of the name on 7 August was without legal justification. If the rename is blocked, the party goes into 2027 as The Equitable Party.
Who was there
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, who has said he will run for Nairobi governor.
Siaya Governor James Orengo and Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya.
Senators Boni Khalwale, Godfrey Osotsi and Richard Onyonka, and MPs including Jack Wamboka, Caleb Amisi and Majimbo Kalasinga.
Former Law Society of Kenya president Faith Odhiambo.
The party's symbol is a pair of scales, and its slogan is "Tusawazishe". Khalwale said on Monday that more than a million people had joined within hours. That figure has not been independently verified. He also said he will run for Kakamega governor on the party's ticket.
"We will listen before we speak, consult before we decide," Sifuna said.
The movement says it will negotiate with the Ukombozi Alliance of Kalonzo Musyoka, Rigathi Gachagua and Fred Matiang'i on a single opposition candidate. None of the three had publicly reacted by Monday.
What it means for Kibra
Kibra has been an ODM stronghold since the party was formed. It now has two camps claiming Raila Odinga's legacy, ODM under its current leadership and Sifuna's new party, and both will campaign here.
Because Sifuna is running for president, Nairobi's Senate seat will be open in 2027.
Mass sign-ups are under way. You can check which party, if any, has you listed as a member on the Registrar of Political Parties' online portal, and ask to be removed if you did not consent.
Sources: Citizen Digital (launch, symbol, attendees), The Star (Omondi declaration, attendees), The Star (membership claim, Sifuna quote), (Marava quote, coalition talks), Citizen Digital (Registrar and Tribunal), People Daily (Khalwale's governor bid).
That was a Kibra News Network report, read by an A I voice.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna now has a party. On Sunday 4 October, at the Sarova Stanley hotel in Nairobi, he was declared leader and 2027 presidential candidate of The Equitable Party, an existing registered party handed over to him by its leader, Gilbert Marava.
“Sifuna is going to run for president, and he will be the next leader of the Equitable Party,” Marava said. Suba South MP Caroli Omondi declared Sifuna the single presidential candidate of the Linda Mwananchi movement.
Sifuna, who was named Linda Mwananchi’s candidate last week, said the party would apply to rename itself the Linda Mwananchi Movement. The Registrar of Political Parties, John Lorionkou, reserved that name on 1 October for 90 days after the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal found that the Registrar’s refusal of the name on 7 August was without legal justification. If the rename is blocked, the party goes into 2027 as The Equitable Party.
Who was there
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, who has said he will run for Nairobi governor.
Siaya Governor James Orengo and Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya.
Senators Boni Khalwale, Godfrey Osotsi and Richard Onyonka, and MPs including Jack Wamboka, Caleb Amisi and Majimbo Kalasinga.
Former Law Society of Kenya president Faith Odhiambo.
The party’s symbol is a pair of scales, and its slogan is “Tusawazishe”. Khalwale said on Monday that more than a million people had joined within hours. That figure has not been independently verified. He also said he will run for Kakamega governor on the party’s ticket.
“We will listen before we speak, consult before we decide,” Sifuna said.
The movement says it will negotiate with the Ukombozi Alliance of Kalonzo Musyoka, Rigathi Gachagua and Fred Matiang’i on a single opposition candidate. None of the three had publicly reacted by Monday.
What it means for Kibra
Kibra has been an ODM stronghold since the party was formed. It now has two camps claiming Raila Odinga’s legacy, ODM under its current leadership and Sifuna’s new party, and both will campaign here.
Because Sifuna is running for president, Nairobi’s Senate seat will be open in 2027.
Mass sign-ups are under way. You can check which party, if any, has you listed as a member on the Registrar of Political Parties’ online portal, and ask to be removed if you did not consent.
KNN Newsroom is the staff byline for stories written, rewritten and edited at the Kibra News Network desk. Where a story credits an outside outlet, the original source is linked at the foot of the piece.
