Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has provided a chronology of events surrounding the Linda Mwananchi name dispute and the formation of The Mwananchi Party.
Babu’s explanation of the party name changes came after questions arose about how the political party came into existence.
In a statement on September 24, the Embakasi East MP explained that the name change followed Linda Mwananchi principals going to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) on 4th August 2026.
During the visit to the ORPP, the officials sought clarification regarding the Linda Mwananchi name.
To address the concerns raised, Babu shared an official letter from the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) explaining the party’s name change timeline.
“There has been discussion around the Linda Mwananchi name and the formation of The Mwananchi Party. For clarity, here is the official letter from the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) on the change of name,” Babu noted.
Muungano Party Changes Name
According to the ORPP letter, the Mwananchi Party came from an existing registered political party.
The Registrar confirmed that it had referred to a letter dated August 25, 2026, in which the party confirmed that it had received no representations from members of the public regarding its proposed name change.
Notice of the proposed changes from Muungano Party (MP) to The Mwananchi Party (TMP) was published in a Gazette Notice No. 13935 dated August 28, 2026.
Additionally, the ORPP also recorded an objection to the proposed name change, submitted by Lawrence Nzunga on August 30, 2026.
Nzunga later withdrew the objection by letter on September 8, 2026, confirming that his concerns had been addressed.
The ORPP formally confirmed that the name change took effect on September 10.
“In light of the foregoing, the Registrar hereby notifies the party that the change of the name has taken effect, pursuant to Section 20(5) of the Political Parties Act, Cap. 7D,” ORPP confirmed on September 10.
Linda Mwananchi Name Dispute
On June 4, Pauline Njoki Njoroge, Faith Odhiambo and Michael Caroli Omondi explained they applied to the ORPP to reserve the name Linda Mwananchi Movement (LMM).
However, the ORPP initially rejected the application on public-interest grounds.
According to the applicants, the Registrar later agreed to reserve the name following a meeting on August 4.
At the August 4 meeting, several officials attended, including Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka, Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, Bumula MP Jack Wamboka, Wundanyi MP Danson Mwashako, and former LSK president Faith Odhiambo.
The decision was reversed on August 7, citing the registration of another entity, Liberty National Democratic Alliance associated with Phenasio Thuku, which uses the acronym LINDA.
Linda Mwananchi lawyers argued before the Tribunal that Linda Mwananchi Movement (LMM) and Liberty National Democratic Alliance (LNDA) were different in their spelling, sound, names, and proposed symbols.
Babu Owino on Party Formation
On September 15, 2026, Owino explained that his political party predated the Linda Mwananchi movement.
He clarified that he had been pursuing his own party for some time because he planned to contest the Nairobi governorship in 2027.
He also noted that he made three unsuccessful attempts before succeeding on the fourth and acquiring a party in early 2026.
“On this issue of the political party, I had a journey that I was going on. I had a destination that I was looking at. I was supposed to achieve certain things in life, and I knew that in 2027 I would have a political party and vie for governor. That is long before Linda Mwananchi came into being,” Owino stated on September 15.
According to Babu Owino, Linda Mwananchi’s leaders formed a four-member committee to decide which political party would serve as the movement’s electoral vehicle.
The committee eventually settled on his party after eliminating other options, and the officials agreed to use it, but later another principal brought forward Ukombozi People’s Party as an alternative.
Owino approached Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna to ask why Ukombozi had emerged after the earlier understanding concerning his party.
Sifuna said the two parties could eventually operate through a coalition arrangement under Linda Mwananchi.
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