Sifuna’s Linda Mwananchi Movement Faces Fresh Wrangles

A wave of internal disputes and tribunal petitions now threatens to stall Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s Linda Mwananchi Movement (LMM), even as new polling shows the outfit has surged to become Kenya’s second most popular political party.

The movement is pushing ahead with its inaugural National Delegates Conference (NDC) scheduled for Friday, November 13, 2026, despite a last-minute bid at the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) to halt the meeting.

On Wednesday, Emmanuel Willyngtone Khamala, who identifies himself as a registered member of The Equitable Party (TEP), petitioned the tribunal to suspend the conference pending the hearing of his complaint. Khamala accuses the current leadership of making appointments without holding elections or involving registered members.

He further argues that the delegates expected to attend Friday's meeting did not emerge from legitimate branch and county structures established through grassroots elections. Khamala wants the tribunal to declare the current leadership illegally constituted and suspend its operations until official polls are held.

His petition names TEP’s National Executive Committee, the National Elections Board, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, and the Political Parties Liaison Committee as respondents. Sifuna, the proposed leader of the movement, is listed as an interested party.

The legal friction comes just as a new TIFA survey shows Sifuna's political vehicle gaining rapid ground ahead of the August 10, 2027 General Election. According to the poll, LMM has secured 17 percent national support, trailing only the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) at 25 percent.

UDA reclaimed the top spot after rising from 17 percent in June to 25 percent in November 2026. The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), which previously held 20 percent support, dropped to third place at 10 percent over the same five-month period.

Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), led by Rigathi Gachagua, recorded 9 percent support, while Wiper and Jubilee attracted 5 percent and 4 percent, respectively. Another 28 percent of Kenyans remain undecided about their preferred party.

Despite the pending tribunal challenge, LMM officials on Thursday issued strict attendance rules confirming that preparations for Friday’s conference are proceeding. The movement said that participation will be limited to designated delegates drawn from TEP members who were registered by the date the NDC notice was published.

"Each county has been allocated a specific number of delegates based on its registered membership. These allocations must be strictly observed," the movement said in a notice to supporters.

The party described the conference as a statutory meeting required to approve TEP’s proposed name change and ratify decisions formalizing its transition into the Linda Mwananchi Movement.

"We ask for your understanding and cooperation as we undertake this important process to approve the party's name change and ratify other decisions necessary to formalise our transition to the Linda Mwananchi Movement," the notice added.

Khamala’s case is the latest in a string of legal hurdles facing Sifuna since TEP was launched at Nairobi’s Serena Hotel on October 4, followed by the unveiling of LMM on October 30 at an event attended by Gachagua.

Previously, the Registrar of Political Parties rejected the reservation of the Linda Mwananchi Movement name due to similarities with an existing outfit called LINDA. The tribunal later overturned that decision and directed the Registrar to reconsider the application.

Separately, member James Onyango Nyangor challenged the planned November 13 elections over an alleged failure to issue the constitutionally required 21-day notice. Three other members, Paul Kiragu Gachoka and Pamela Achieng Simwata among them, also filed objections questioning the conference agenda, delegate selection, and proposed constitutional changes.

The internal wrangles contrast sharply with the momentum Sifuna has built on the ground. On Wednesday, the Senator received a group of defectors from UDA and ODM at the party headquarters as political realignments gather pace.

The TIFA survey shows LMM leading in the Western region with 40 percent support, while commanding 26 percent in Nairobi and 18 percent in Nyanza.

UDA maintains dominance in the Northern region at 60 percent and Central Rift at 56 percent, though its support drops to 10 percent in Mt Kenya and 8 percent in Nairobi. DCP draws most of its backing from Mt Kenya at 27 percent, while Wiper leads Lower Eastern at 50 percent.

ODM retains its strongest base in Nyanza at 33 percent, where Jubilee also posted its highest regional score at 10 percent. Undecided voters have meanwhile climbed to 38 percent in both Coast and Mt Kenya, leaving a large bloc of voters still up for grabs.