Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has been endorsed as the presidential candidate of the Linda Mwananchi movement for the 2027 General Election, putting his bid at the centre of the group’s political plans.
The decision was reached during a leadership retreat on Saturday, September 26, where leaders said they had agreed to move forward together despite recent public disagreements within the movement.
In a statement issued after the meeting, Linda Mwananchi said its leaders were united around what they described as a common goal of responding to calls for better governance.
We met as the leadership of Linda Mwananchi and resolved to move forward together, united by a common purpose of answering the call of Kenyans seeking better governance,” the movement said.
The leaders also said Sifuna would lead the movement as its presidential candidate and that they would unveil the political party through which he intends to contest the presidency in early October.
The announcement follows weeks of uncertainty over the movement’s political vehicle and disagreements among some of its senior figures.
Sifuna at the centre of new political vehicle
The endorsement gives Sifuna a formal platform as he seeks to build a political organisation ahead of the 2027 election.
The movement has been facing difficulties securing its preferred political identity. In August, the Political Parties and Disputes Tribunal allowed Sifuna’s faction to reserve the name The Mwananchi Party while a related dispute over the Linda name continued.
The movement has also been considering existing political parties as possible vehicles for the election.
Recent reporting has highlighted differences among its leaders over whether to pursue The Mwananchi Party or Ukombozi People’s Party. Those disagreements had raised questions about the movement’s ability to settle on a common platform before the election timetable tightens.
Saturday’s retreat was therefore closely watched as the leaders sought to present a united front.
Leaders stress unity
Sifuna said the retreat had concluded successfully.
In a message shared after the meeting, he described his colleagues as “great leaders” and expressed optimism about the movement’s next phase.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, another prominent figure in Linda Mwananchi, also emphasised unity.
“We are more united than ever,” Babu said.
He said the leaders had agreed to strengthen cooperation, coordinate their activities and consolidate their political bases.
“We agreed that achieving our common political objective requires unity, coordination, and a willingness to work together,” he said.
Babu had previously backed Sifuna’s presidential ambitions even as disagreements over the movement’s political vehicle became more public.
A race against the clock
The endorsement comes as political parties prepare to meet statutory requirements ahead of the 2027 election.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has set October 15, 2026 as the deadline for political parties intending to participate in the General Election to submit the names and specimen signatures of their authorised officials. Parties must also meet subsequent deadlines on nomination rules and other electoral requirements.
That timetable has increased pressure on Linda Mwananchi to settle its political vehicle and complete the necessary formalities.
The movement has said it intends to unveil the party that will carry Sifuna’s presidential bid in early October.
The remaining challenge is the political vehicle through which that campaign will be conducted, as well as the alliances the movement may form with other parties ahead of the election.
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