Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s political party, The Equitable Party (TEP), has officially transitioned to the Linda Mwananchi Movement name after no objections were raised during the seven-day period provided by the Registrar of Political Parties.
This follows the Registrar’s October 12, 2026 notice inviting members of the public to submit written objections to the proposed name change.
The notice, published under Gazette Notice No. 16427, gave interested parties seven days from the date of publication to submit their representations under Section 20(1)(d) of the Political Parties Act, Cap. 7D.
However, as of October 20, no objections had been raised, paving the way for the party to adopt the Linda Mwananchi Movement (LMM) name.
Sifuna’s TEP Officially Transitions to Linda Mwananchi Movement After No Objections
The notice stated that the party intended to change its name from The Equitable Party to Linda Mwananchi Movement (LMM).
“In exercise of the power conferred by section 20 (1) (d) of the Political Parties Act, the Registrar of Political Parties gives notice that The Equitable Party (TEP) intends to change it party name as follows,” the notice read.
The Registrar had directed anyone with written submissions concerning the proposed change to deposit them at the Registrar of Political Parties’ offices at Lion Place, Waiyaki Way, fourth floor, Nairobi, within the stipulated seven-day period.
The change follows Sifuna’s unveiling of The Equitable Party as the political vehicle for the Linda Mwananchi Movement on October 4, 2026.
During the unveiling, the senator announced plans to rebrand the party to reflect the movement’s identity, which has been central to his political mobilisation.
“So, in the coming days, and as has been resolved by the principals of Linda Mwananchi, who you see here, we shall be seeking to rebrand this party, the Equitable Party, to the Linda Mwananchi Movement,” Sifuna said during the event.
How Registrar of Political Parties Handled Sifuna’s TEP Name Change
The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties subsequently initiated the process of changing the party’s name from The Equitable Party (TEP) to Linda Mwananchi Movement (LMM).
In a letter to the party, Registrar of Political Parties John Cox Lorionokou confirmed that his office had received and reviewed documents submitted by TEP seeking approval for the proposed name change.
The documents included a notice and signed attendance list for the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on October 8, 2026, as well as a resolution approving the change of name.
The party also submitted the statutory Form PP.10 for the name change and evidence of the proposed change.
“Upon review of the documents, this Office has initiated the process of gazettement of the proposed change of party name in accordance with Section 20 (1) (d) of the Political Parties Act, Cap. 7D,” Lorionokou stated in the letter.
The process marked a step towards the formal adoption of the Linda Mwananchi Movement name, with the Registrar’s communication outlining the steps required before the change could be finalised.
Under the procedure outlined in the letter, the party was required to wait for the expiry of 14 days from the date of publication of the proposed name change in the newspaper before reporting any representations received from members of the public.
The Registrar directed TEP to inform his office of any objections or other representations submitted by the public and explain how they had been addressed.
“Following the expiry of fourteen (14) days from the date of publication of the change of name in the newspaper, the party is requested to apprise this Office of representations received from the public, if any, regarding the proposed change of party name and the manner in which such representations have been addressed,” the letter stated.
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