Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna is today (Friday) expected to name some members of the the party’s national leadership, establish campaign structures and open up Linda Mwananchi to aspirants seeking its ticket.
This will come as he unveils the political group’s national headquarters and presidential campaign command centre, in a move aimed at turning his 2027 presidential ambitions into an organised political machine.
The movement has secured new offices in Lavington, Nairobi, as it completes the rebranding of The Equitable Party (TEP), the political vehicle acquired by Mr Sifuna and his allies following his fallout with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
The launch will mark a new phase in the movement’s preparations for the August 10, 2027 General Election with Sifuna expected to unveil a section of the party’s national leadership, establish campaign structures and open the outfit to aspirants seeking its ticket.
Nairobi Senator and Linda Mwananchi movement leader Edwin Sifuna speaking during a Sunday service at Jesus Teaching Ministry in Nairobi, on October 18, 2026.
Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation Media Group
The Daily Nation has established that the movement will announce a partial list of national officials, leaving room for the incorporation of politicians expected to join the outfit in the coming months.
Sources in the movement said it is positioning itself to attract defections from established political parties as the opposition reconfigures ahead of the next election.
In September, the movement settled on Mr Sifuna as its party leader and preferred presidential candidate. He is expected to be formally unveiled in that capacity during today’s event.
Among the politicians tipped for key positions are Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka, Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, former Law Society of Kenya president Faith Odhiambo, former Makadara MP Reuben Ndolo, Mavoko MP Patrick Makau and Pauline Njoroge, who was recently appointed the movement’s head of communications.
The launch comes amid signs of fragmentation within the broader Linda Mwananchi camp, with some of its prominent figures opting to pursue separate political vehicles.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Siaya Governor James Orengo, both key figures in the movement, have chosen to establish their own parties. Mr Owino acquired the Muungano Party for rebranding as The Mwananchi Party, while Mr Orengo has launched the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), a party formerly associated with the late opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Other members have also retreated to regional political outfits, particularly in Gusii and Ukambani, complicating efforts to consolidate the movement into a single national platform.
Against this backdrop, Mr Sifuna’s team is seeking to establish a formal party structure capable of managing nominations, mobilising campaign resources and negotiating alliances with other opposition formations.
The Daily Nation has learnt that the movement has scheduled its National Delegates Convention (NDC) for November 13 to complete the rebranding process and ratify changes to the party’s leadership.
The convention is also expected to consider policy decisions, including possible pre-election coalition agreements with other opposition parties.
Today’s launch will include the unveiling of standing committees, among them the National Elections Board (NEB), which will oversee party primaries, and a resource mobilisation committee tasked with raising campaign funds.
The movement is also preparing to open an online platform through which aspirants can apply to run on its ticket, following a model used by established parties, including the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA), ODM and the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP).
Presidential campaign centre
“Tomorrow (Friday) we are doing two things: unveiling our presidential campaign centre, which will also act as the party headquarters. We will also announce another set of national leadership,” Mr Oundo told the Nation on Thursday.
He said the movement had largely completed the rebranding of TEP, with only a few objections remaining before the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP).
The ORPP had approved the rebranding and invited members of the public to submit objections as part of the required process.
“We also plan to have our NDC on November 13 to finalise the rebranding,” Mr Oundo said.
The movement intends to establish offices across all 47 counties by December as it builds its national campaign network.
“We are also putting an interactive online platform so that those seeking to run on our party can apply. With the formal system in place, in the weeks to come, we will start opening offices in all the 47 counties. We have given ourselves up to December for this exercise,” he said.
DCP party Leader Rigathi Gachagua welcomes Linda Mwananchi Party leader Edwin Sifuna to his Wamunyoro residence.
Photo credit: Pool
Mr Wamboka said the launch would be followed by a series of political activities, including a major rally in Kwale County on Saturday.
The movement has also invited opposition leaders to today’s event as it seeks to demonstrate its readiness to engage other parties in the search for a joint candidate to challenge President William Ruto.
However, the Daily Nation could not independently confirm the attendance of Democracy for the Citizens Party leader Rigathi Gachagua, Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Jubilee Party leader Fred Matiang’i, People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua, Democratic Action Party-Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro of the People’s Party of Kenya and Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi.
Last week, Mr Sifuna made a surprise visit to Mr Gachagua’s Wamunyoro home in Nyeri as opposition leaders intensified consultations on how to settle on a joint presidential candidate.
The visit placed Mr Sifuna’s ambitions within the wider opposition negotiations, where competing interests over the timing and selection of a flagbearer have exposed divisions among leaders seeking to unseat President Ruto.
Mr Sifuna’s presidential bid has gained traction since his fallout with ODM, where he served as secretary-general. In September, the Linda Mwananchi Movement formally endorsed him as its preferred candidate.
A July survey by Trends and Insights For Africa (Tifa) put Mr Sifuna’s support at 15 per cent if he were to contest the presidency, making him the closest challenger to President Ruto, who polled 24 per cent.
The survey placed Mr Sifuna ahead of other opposition figures, including Mr Gachagua at seven per cent, Mr Musyoka at 13 per cent and Mr Matiang’i at 14 per cent.
The figures offered a boost to Mr Sifuna’s ambitions, although the movement now faces the challenge of translating that support into a nationwide party organisation, a campaign funding base and alliances strong enough to compete in 2027.
At the launch of TEP, Mr Sifuna presented the new political vehicle as an alternative to what he described as the failure of the political establishment to address the concerns of ordinary Kenyans.
He cited the plight of farmers, young people struggling to find jobs, small businesses burdened by taxes and families grappling with the cost of education and healthcare.
“The people must not remain an audience to politics. They must become its authors,” he said.
Mr Sifuna also linked the formation of the party to the political legacy of Mr Raila Odinga, whose death, he said, had ushered in a new phase for the opposition movement.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation
He accused unnamed former allies of allowing ODM to be “captured by the forces of impunity and regression”, saying efforts to persuade them to change course had failed.
“We tried our best to prevail upon our former comrades that the path they were on would lead to the party losing its very soul, but sadly we failed to persuade them,” he said.
The senator has pledged to build a movement anchored on ideas, accountability, service and constitutionalism rather than personality-driven politics.
He has also promised to give young people and women a greater role in decision-making and ensure that all regions and communities receive equal consideration.
Today’s launch is the culmination of months of uncertainty over the political vehicle Mr Sifuna and his allies would use after his break with ODM.
