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• The IEBC set October 15, 2026, as the deadline for political parties to submit authorised officials and specimen signatures ahead of the 2027 General Election
• Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna acquired The Equatable Party and announced plans to rebrand it to the Linda Mwananchi Movement ahead of his presidential bid
• The rebranding process, including the naming of new party officials, must be completed by the same IEBC deadline to qualify for the 2027 election
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has directed all political parties intending to participate in the 2027 General Election to submit the names and specimen signatures of their authorised officials by Thursday, October 15, 2026.
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Source: Facebook
In a notice dated Wednesday, October 14, the Commission instructed parties to present the required documentation at its headquarters at Anniversary Towers, 7th Floor South Tower, in Nairobi, between 8:00am and 5:00pm. Parties that miss the deadline risk being locked out of the 2027 electoral process entirely.
Sifuna's Party Rebrand Race
The IEBC notice lands at a critical moment for Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, who is working to complete the transformation of The Equatable Party (TEP) into his new political vehicle in time to meet the Commission's requirements.
On October 10, TEP announced its intention to rebrand as the Linda Mwananchi Movement (LMM), with all administrative changes, including the appointment of new party officials, required to be finalised by October 15. Sifuna officially declared himself TEP's party leader and presidential candidate on October 4, 2026, positioning the platform under the slogan "Tusawazishe," as he formally launched his bid to become Kenya's sixth president.
Sifuna disclosed that negotiations to acquire TEP began several months before the announcement and that all groundwork had been completed ahead of the acquisition. The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) has since formally approved administrative changes to the names of TEP officials, legally cementing Sifuna's team at the helm of the party.
Why Sifuna Chose to Acquire an Existing Party
Rather than registering a new political party, Sifuna opted to take over a fully registered entity, citing the need for an immediate and legally recognised electoral vehicle that would spare him bureaucratic delays in the lead-up to 2027.
The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal issued a ruling permitting Sifuna to reserve the "Linda Mwananchi Movement" name for 90 days, following which TEP's National Executive Council (NEC) approved the formal rebranding plan.
With the IEBC's October 15 deadline now in effect, the completion of the rebranding process, including the submission of the names of LMM's authorised officials, will determine whether the party secures its place on the 2027 ballot.
Source: TUKO.co.ke