The Linda Mwananchi movement has resolved to move to court to challenge the decision by the Registrar of Political Parties to reject its application to register the movement as a political party.
The decision was reached during a two-day strategic meeting held under tight security, as the political movement seeks to strengthen its organizational structures and chart its next course ahead of a planned expansion of its grassroots activities.
Members of the movement say they have invested significant time and resources in building the Linda Mwananchi brand over the past several months and want the name formally recognized as their political party.
Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi confirmed that the movement would file a court case over the registration dispute, arguing that the Registrar declined the application on grounds that another political party had already been registered under the same name. Osotsi disputed the explanation and said the movement had previously secured the name.
He further accused the Registrar’s office of failing to provide sufficient information regarding the party allegedly registered under the name Linda Mwananchi. According to Osotsi, the movement had formally requested clarification but had not received the details it was seeking.
The decision to pursue legal action comes as the movement, led by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, also considers alternative political options should its efforts to secure registration through the courts fail.
Sifuna has previously indicated that the movement’s political ambitions would not necessarily depend on the Linda Mwananchi name, suggesting that supporters should remain focused on the broader political cause even if the movement is required to operate under a different party identity.
The two-day meeting, which concluded on Sunday evening, was initially scheduled to take place at Stoni Athi Resort in Machakos before being moved to a hotel in Limuru.
During the meeting, the leaders received a detailed report from a team of professionals working on policy and sector-specific issues on behalf of the movement. The team has been assessing some of the major challenges facing Kenyans and developing proposals aimed at addressing them.
Among the issues identified were high taxation, the rising cost of living and concerns over excessive use of force by security agencies. The movement’s leaders said the experts had gone beyond identifying the challenges by developing proposed solutions that would form part of the movement’s political messaging in the coming months.
The meeting also reviewed the movement’s performance since its launch, assessed its recent public engagements and discussed strategies for strengthening its future activities.
Leaders further examined incidents of disruption and violence witnessed during some of the movement’s public meetings, with discussions focusing on measures to improve security and ensure that future political gatherings are conducted peacefully.
Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka had earlier called for a review of the events surrounding the disruption of the movement’s meeting in Homa Bay, saying the leadership needed to establish what went wrong and determine the appropriate response going forward.
The strategic meeting also provided an opportunity for leaders to assess the progress of the professional team and consider how its recommendations would be incorporated into the movement’s political agenda.
Linda Mwananchi has so far taken its mobilization campaign to at least 16 counties since launching its activities in Busia on February 8. The movement has subsequently held engagements in Kajiado, Kakamega, Narok, Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Vihiga, Kisumu, Machakos, Kiambu, Kisii, Taita Taveta, Trans Nzoia and Bungoma, among other areas.
Its latest major public meeting was held in Homa Bay on August 16, where Sifuna and his allies’ encountered disruptions during the gathering.
The movement is now preparing to expand its grassroots mobilization, with a planned meeting in Meru next weekend.
Before then, its leaders are expected to hold a series of meetings in Nairobi constituencies as they seek to strengthen their presence and political support in the capital.
The decision to challenge the party registration process in court marks a significant next step for Linda Mwananchi as the movement seeks to transform its growing grassroots campaign into a formally recognized political vehicle.
