Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has announced plans to launch a new political party, saying he will take up the position of party leader.
In an interview released on Thursday, July 23, he also revealed a proposed leadership structure for the new party, with key positions set to be distributed across different regions of the country.
"A new party is coming, and I will be the party leader. The Secretary-General position will go to Western Kenya, while the chairperson will come from either the Central or Coast region," he said.
This revelation comes days after the Linda Mwananchi team revealed that it has been undertaking plans to register the outfit as a political party, though the efforts have proven futile.
Addressing a rally in Taita Taveta on Saturday, July 18, the faction's spokesperson and Suba South MP Caroli Omondi claimed the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) had frustrated the efforts.
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Omondi accused President William Ruto of instructing the ORPP to deliberately block any plan by the group to seek official recognition as a political outfit ahead of the 2027 general election.
According to the MP, the outfit to be registered would be called Linda Mwananchi Party.
"I want to tell President William Ruto stop telling the registrar of political parties not to approve the registration of Linda Mwananchi Party. I want to tell the registrar of political parties that you have no right under Section 8 of the Political Parties Act to deny us the right to use the name Linda Mwananchi," he said.
Omondi delivered a sharp warning to the registrar’s office, pledging to defend Linda Mwananchi’s identity at all costs.
Drawing inspiration from Raila Odinga’s defiance of oppression, he stressed that intimidation would not deter them, recalling how Raila stood firm against Daniel Moi’s authoritarian regime.
Omondi vowed that the group would storm the registrar’s office to demand approval of Linda Mwananchi as a political party.
"We are coming to your office this week, and if you do not approve that name, Raila Odinga taught us what to do, and we will do it. We will guard our name, you will not intimidate us. The late Daniel Moi tried but he did not succeed, we will not be beaten, we not be cowed, we will not be threatened," he added.
Elsewhere, PLP leader Martha Karua has declared that she will support whichever candidate Kenyans choose to lead the opposition if she is not selected as the flag bearer in the next General Election.
Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, July 21, Karua, however, ruled out serving as a running mate again, saying her previous experience in the position was enough.
"If I am not chosen as the flag bearer, I will support the candidate Kenyans choose. The only thing I will not do is serve as a running mate. I had a good run with Raila," she said.
Karua also defended her political record, saying she had consistently championed the rule of law and the fight against corruption.
"I have a proven track record that I have served; I have consistently stood for the rule of law. I have consistently stood for the fight against corruption. It is important for the united opposition or any formation to have rules that they adhere to," she added.
Karua further stated that PLP was designed to outlast her leadership, noting that the party's constitution limited the period one could serve as its leader.
"PLP will outlast me. Our constitution has a term limit. I will no longer be eligible as a party leader in the next elections of party leadership, which is immediately after the next general election," she further said.
