Babu Owino clarifies The Mwananchi Party registration timelines

In a statement on Thursday, the party said its creation and recognition by the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) predates the formation of Linda Mwananchi.

The party said that on August 4, 2026, principals of the Linda Mwananchi Movement visited the ORPP to seek clarification on the registration process status of the recognition of Linda Mwananchi name and the registration process.

This was happening concurrently with the registration and recognition of TMP.

TMP says its name was officially changed from Muungano Party on September 10, 2026

"It is therefore important that the events surrounding the matter are understood within their proper chronology," the party said. 

This comes after the Linda Mwananchi Movement was denied official recognition by the ORPP since a corresponding name was awarded to TMP.

At the height of ridicule against MP Babu, he gave a statement tracing his decision to establish his party to February 10, 2025, when ODM leaders gathered at Bomas of Kenya for an event he had initially believed was a prayer meeting for the late then-party leader Raila Odinga's bid for the African Union Commission Chairperson position.

He said he was surprised to find Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja being endorsed for a second term by ODM leaders during the gathering.

“From that day, because I knew that ODM would never give me a chance to contest as Governor of Nairobi, I decided that I would have my own political party,” Babu said.

He said he subsequently made three unsuccessful attempts to register a political party, and secured registration on his fourth attempt.

“At the fourth attempt, I managed to get a party, early this year. That is long before Linda Mwananchi came into being,” he said.

Babu said Linda Mwananchi was formed later and found him already in the process of securing a political vehicle.