Linda Mwananchi's big day after months of legal battles, chaos

The day has finally come. After months of legal battles, violent rally disruptions and a gruelling nationwide mobilisation campaign, Linda Mwananchi is set to launch its political party on Friday, marking a defining moment in its journey towards the 2027 General Election.

For a movement that has endured uncertainty over its name, witnessed violence at its rallies and faced repeated attempts to disrupt its political engagements, today’s launch represents more than the unveiling of a political outfit. It is the culmination of a difficult journey in which the determination to establish a political home has been tested at nearly every turn.

Before Linda Mwananchi could formally establish itself, its proponents had to fight for the right to use the name around which they had built their political identity. On the campaign trail, its leaders and supporters encountered tear gas, disrupted meetings and violence. Yet, despite the obstacles, the movement continued travelling across the country, determined to establish itself as an alternative political voice ahead of the 2027 elections.

For its supporters, the launch is a moment of triumph after months of uncertainty and struggle.

The party promoters applied to reserve the name Linda Mwananchi on June 4. However, the Registrar of Political Parties initially rejected the application, citing public-interest concerns. Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, former Law Society of Kenya president Faith Odhiambo and political activist Pauline Njoroge challenged the decision before the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT).

The dispute became more complicated because another outfit, the Liberty National Democratic Alliance, was associated with the abbreviation LINDA. On August 7, the Registrar declined the application, citing similarities between the names, dealing another setback to the promoters.

Throughout, the promoters were unwilling to surrender the name. They maintained that the two names were sufficiently different and challenged the validity of the earlier reservation.

The tribunal examined whether LINDA had complied with the legal requirement to apply for provisional registration within the prescribed 90-day period.

On September 30, the tribunal set aside the Registrar’s decision, finding that the earlier reservation had lapsed because the required application had not been made within the statutory period. It further established that an expired reservation could not simply be revived through subsequent administrative action.

The legal breakthrough paved the way for the movement to proceed with its registration process. In a letter dated October 1, Registrar John Cox Lorionokou informed the promoters that the application for Linda Mwananchi Movement (LMM) had been approved following the tribunal’s judgment.

With the battle over its name moving towards resolution, the movement could turn its attention to the bigger task of building a political organisation capable of competing in 2027.

But the legal battle was only one part of its struggle.

A journey marked by violence

As the movement sought to expand its national presence, its rallies were repeatedly disrupted by violence and confrontations, raising concerns about the safety of political gatherings and the freedom of opposition leaders to mobilise supporters.

On July 3, a convoy associated with Linda Mwananchi was attacked by youths armed with clubs and stones at Keumbu Market in Kisii County. One supporter was reported killed and several others injured. Opposition leaders accused police officers present at the scene of failing to intervene.

In Kitengela, Kajiado County, a rally led by ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna was disrupted on February 15 when police fired tear gas into the gathering, forcing supporters to scatter for safety.

The most serious reported violence occurred during the August 16 rally in Homa Bay County. Groups of youths allegedly blocked major roads with stones and logs in an attempt to stop the convoy from entering the town. Clashes subsequently erupted between the groups and supporters.

Reports indicated that four people died and more than 46 were injured, including journalists and police officers. A vehicle was torched and property damaged. Local leaders criticised the response of regional police commanders, while police later intervened and arrests were reported.

The disruptions continued on August 29 in Migori, where tear gas was discharged as Siaya Governor James Orengo and his entourage addressed a crowd. The incident triggered running battles, forcing the vehicles in the convoy to navigate through heavy smoke to get the leaders to safety. Another vehicle was reportedly torched.

The following day, a rally in Makutano, Meru County, attended by Sifuna, Babu Owino and former governor Kawira Mwangaza was interrupted when a tear gas canister landed in a densely packed crowd. Supporters scattered as smoke spread, but the leaders remained defiant, and the meeting resumed after the smoke cleared.

On October 15, the tension followed the movement to Kitale, Trans Nzoia County, where leaders including George Natembeya and Sifuna were teargassed during a rally. Police subsequently indicated that the leaders would be investigated over alleged violations of the Public Order Act.

Despite these setbacks, Linda Mwananchi has continued its nationwide mobilisation, visiting counties and urban centres over nine months. These include Busia, Kajiado, Kakamega, Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Vihiga, Kisumu, Machakos, Thika and Kiambu, Kisii, Taita Taveta, Trans Nzoia, Bungoma, Homa Bay and Meru.

Following the launch, the movement plans to visit Kwale and Turkana before returning to the western region, signalling that its nationwide mobilisation campaign is far from over.

Today's launch gives the movement an opportunity to transform its growing political presence into a formal organisation. The real test will be whether it can turn the crowds attending its rallies into a structured membership, develop clear policies and convince voters that it offers a credible alternative in 2027.

The journey ahead will require more than political enthusiasm. It will demand organisation, internal democracy, clear leadership and a programme that responds to the concerns of ordinary Kenyans.

But whatever the future holds, Linda Mwananchi arrives at its launch with a story unlike that of many political parties entering the political arena.

While other political outfits may begin their journeys through negotiations, alliances and the ordinary processes of registration, Linda Mwananchi has had to fight through a contested name, legal proceedings, disrupted rallies, tear gas and deadly violence.

Its supporters have watched their political meetings descend into chaos. Its leaders have had to navigate repeated disruptions while trying to take their message across the country. Nevertheless, the movement has continued its mobilisation despite the human cost of the violence surrounding some of its engagements.

That is what makes today's launch significant. Linda Mwananchi has not arrived at the political stage without a fight. It has arrived after a long, painful and testing journey that could have discouraged a less determined movement.

Today, Linda Mwananchi takes another step towards becoming a fully established political force.

Its journey's beginning has been marked by hardships that few emerging political movements would wish to endure. Yet it has remained standing, carrying the hopes of supporters who believe their struggle deserves a political home.

The launch is therefore not simply a celebration of a new party. It is a declaration that, despite the battles it has faced, Linda Mwananchi is still here, still moving and still seeking its place in Kenya's political future.

Today, after a journey defined by struggle, Linda Mwananchi steps onto the political stage with its resilience as one of its most defining stories.