Edwin Sifuna’s unveiling of The Equitable Party on Sunday, October 4, brought a little-known political outfit into the national spotlight. But the Nairobi senator’s new electoral vehicle has a history, leadership and constitution that predate his presidential ambitions.
Records from the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties show that The Equitable Party, abbreviated TEP, received full registration on March 25, 2022, under certificate number 100. Sifuna is therefore taking over an existing party, with plans to rename it the Linda Mwananchi Movement.
Who led TEP before Sifuna?
The party’s website identifies its outgoing leader as Gilbert Marava Shanga. At Sunday’s unveiling, Shanga announced restructuring to accommodate Sifuna and his supporters while retaining the founding membership. theequitableparty.org
The party’s annual report for the year ended June 30, 2026, offers a clearer picture of the organisation before the takeover. Its governing-body table lists Carey Karani as national chairperson, Florence Sau as deputy chairperson and Emmanuel Soreh as secretary-general.
Other officials listed include deputy secretary-general Fredrick Aloo, national treasurer Arthur Mwenda, organising secretary Reuben Gogo and deputy organising secretary Julia Asige. The deputy party leader position is marked vacant.
These are the officials in the party’s pre-takeover records; they should not be read as Sifuna’s newly appointed leadership team.
Launch coverage identifies Karani as the outgoing national chairman and a founding member. Dr Eunice Juma, a founder based in the United States, also attended the ceremony.
What does The Equitable Party stand for?
TEP’s existing public platform centres on fairness, equal opportunities and social justice. Its stated mission emphasises equitable distribution of national resources and development programmes guided by local needs.
Its website also advocates environmental protection, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting renewable energy. These are broad principles rather than a detailed account of how a Sifuna administration would raise revenue, create jobs or finance public services.
The party’s published constitution specifies gold and emerald as its colours, a weighing scale as its symbol and “Tusawazishe” as its slogan.
It also provides for a National Delegates Conference, National Governing Council and National Executive Committee, giving the outfit an organisational framework beyond its newly prominent leader.
Why is it being renamed Linda Mwananchi?
Sifuna said the movement’s principals had resolved to seek a rebranding of TEP to the Linda Mwananchi Movement, bringing the party’s formal identity closer to the name used in their political mobilisation.
According to The Standard, the Registrar approved reservation of the Linda Mwananchi Movement name in a letter dated October 1, after a tribunal overturned an earlier refusal.
However, reserving the name is not the same as completing the party’s name change. The announced rebranding should therefore be described as planned until its formal completion is confirmed.
What did Sunday’s unveiling change?
Shanga announced that Sifuna would take over as party leader and seek the presidency on its ticket. Allies attending included Siaya Governor James Orengo, Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and senators Boni Khalwale, Godfrey Osotsi and Richard Onyonka.
Their attendance showed support for the initiative, but did not establish that each had formally joined TEP or received a party position.
The immediate significance is that Sifuna’s presidential ambitions now have an identified, already registered party behind them. The next questions concern its restructured leadership, policy programme, candidate recruitment and any coalition agreements ahead of 2027.
