Sifuna, Babu Owino Reject Bid to Register Linda Mwananchi Party
Senior officials of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) have opposed an attempt to register a new political party under the name Linda Mwananchi Party, stating that it is not linked to their faction.
In a formal submission to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, Edwin Sifuna and Babu Owino argued that the proposed party could mislead the public by capitalising on ODM’s internal divisions. They said the person seeking registration is not associated with their group and cautioned that approval of the name could enable fraudulent activity.
“The political party is likely to use our clients’ names, images, and goodwill to fraudulently get financing either from members of the public or other entities,” their statement said.
The objection follows media reports indicating that the faction was close to securing registration. According to those reports, the applicant had submitted a request to reserve the name Linda Mwananchi Party and was awaiting a decision from the registrar. ODM officials described the reports as misleading and warned that any perceived link between the proposed party and their faction could confuse supporters and damage their public standing.
Caroli Omondi, the MP for Suba South, also rejected any association with the registration effort. He characterised the move as an attempt by “state operatives” to create confusion and urged members of the public to disregard it.
The dispute arises amid internal divisions within ODM. The party is split between two rival groups: Linda Mwananchi, which has adopted a pro-government position, and Linda Ground, which supports the re-election bid of William Ruto. Both factions have been mobilising support across the country in an effort to influence the party’s direction ahead of the 2027 general election.
Leadership disagreements have added to the strain. In February, ODM’s National Executive Committee voted to remove Mr Sifuna as secretary general, but the decision was later halted by a court order. The party has scheduled a delegates’ meeting for 27 March, where new officials may be elected.
