The Mwananchi Party (TMP), led by Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, has defended the timeline surrounding its formation and registration amid questions over its relationship with the Linda Mwananchi Movement. In a statement issued on Thursday, TMP maintained that its registration and recognition by the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) came before Linda Mwananchi sought recognition under the name.
The party said principals of Linda Mwananchi visited the ORPP on August 4, 2026, to seek clarification on the status of the movement’s proposed name and registration process. According to TMP, the engagement took place around the same period when its own registration and recognition process was underway. TMP further stated that it officially changed its name from Muungano Party to Mwananchi Party on September 10, 2026.
The party urged the public to consider the chronology of events when assessing the dispute, saying the developments should be understood according to when they occurred. The clarification follows a decision by the ORPP not to recognise Linda Mwananchi under the name after a similar name had already been assigned to TMP.
Babu Owino Explains Decision to Form Party
The controversy has also prompted Babu Owino to explain the events that led to his decision to establish his own political party. Babu traced the idea back to February 10, 2025, when ODM leaders gathered at the Bomas of Kenya. He said he had initially understood the meeting to be a prayer gathering linked to the late Raila Odinga’s bid for the African Union Commission chairperson position.
According to Babu, he was surprised when Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja was endorsed for another term during the gathering. He said the development convinced him that he needed to establish an independent political vehicle, particularly because he believed ODM would not give him an opportunity to pursue the Nairobi governorship.
Babu said he subsequently made three unsuccessful attempts to register a political party before succeeding on his fourth attempt earlier in 2026. He argued that this process began well before the emergence of Linda Mwananchi, which he said came later.
The Embakasi East MP maintained that Linda Mwananchi therefore came into the political scene while he was already pursuing the registration of his own party. The dispute over the names and registration timelines comes as political parties and movements position themselves ahead of Kenya’s 2027 General Election.
