Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has released an official letter from the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) detailing the process through which Muungano Party was renamed The Mwananchi Party, amid an ongoing debate over the political vehicle associated with the Linda Mwananchi movement.
Owino shared the letter on Thursday, September 24, 2026, saying it was intended to clarify questions surrounding the Linda Mwananchi name and the formation of The Mwananchi Party.
“There has been discussion around the Linda Mwananchi name and the formation of The Mwananchi Party,” Owino said in a Facebook post.
“For clarity, here is the official letter from the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) on the change of name.”
According to Owino, principals associated with Linda Mwananchi had visited the ORPP on August 4, 2026, to seek clarification on the availability of the Linda Mwananchi name. He said the subsequent party name-change process was completed on September 10.
The ORPP letter, dated September 10, 2026, and referenced RPP/FRP/050 Vol IV (25), was addressed to the Secretary General of The Mwananchi Party.
ORPP details objection and withdrawal
The Registrar’s correspondence outlines several stages in the approval of the name change.
It refers to a letter dated August 25 confirming that no representations had been received from members of the public concerning the proposed change of name published through Gazette Notice No. 13935 dated August 28, 2026.
However, the Registrar records that Lawrence Nzunga subsequently lodged an objection on August 30 against the proposed change of name from Muungano Party (MP) to The Mwananchi Party (TMP).
Nzunga later withdrew the objection through a letter dated September 8, according to the ORPP. The Registrar said the withdrawal followed confirmation from Nzunga that his reservations had been addressed.
Following the withdrawal, the Registrar formally notified the party that the name change had taken effect.
“In light of the foregoing, the Registrar hereby notifies the party that the change of name has taken effect, pursuant to Section 20(5) of the Political Parties Act, Cap. 7D,” the letter states.
The Mwananchi Party was renamed from Muungano Party
The correspondence establishes that The Mwananchi Party was not registered from scratch under its current name. Rather, the ORPP letter identifies it as the result of a formal name change from Muungano Party.
The ORPP’s publicly available register has also listed Muungano Party under code 050, providing further context to the party’s previous identity.
The distinction has become significant as leaders linked to the Linda Mwananchi movement continue discussions over the political party or parties they will use ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Owino has maintained that he had secured a political party before the Linda Mwananchi movement was formed.
He has also said that his decision to operate through The Mwananchi Party does not prevent him from supporting Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s political ambitions.
Recent reporting has similarly placed the party within wider discussions over the political direction of the movement.
Party recruitment drive underway
The release of the ORPP letter comes as Owino steps up recruitment for The Mwananchi Party.
On September 22, he claimed that the party had registered 98,365 members within three days of launching its recruitment campaign.
He encouraged prospective members to register through the *509# USSD platform, with the party identified under code 050 in the registration instructions he shared.
The political development comes against a broader backdrop of competing efforts by leaders associated with the Linda Mwananchi movement to establish or secure political vehicles ahead of the 2027 polls.
The choice of party remains an issue of discussion among the movement’s leaders.
For now, the ORPP correspondence provides an official timeline showing that the proposed change from Muungano Party to The Mwananchi Party went through public notice, attracted an objection, saw that objection withdrawn, and was formally confirmed by the Registrar as having taken effect on September 10, 2026.
