Sifuna Set to Launch UDP as Political Vehicle for 2027 Presidential Bid
“We have a party. And it’s called the United Democratic Party (UDP). It is the party Sifuna will use,” Natembeya said, according to The Star.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna is set to launch the United Democratic Party (UDP) next week as the political vehicle through which he intends to pursue his 2027 presidential ambitions. Photo: Nairobi Leo.
By Robert Mutasi
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna is set to launch the United Democratic Party (UDP) next week as the political vehicle through which he intends to pursue his 2027 presidential ambitions, according to Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya.
Natembeya said the decision settles weeks of uncertainty over the political party that Sifuna and his Linda Mwananchi movement would use ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during a radio interview, Natembeya said Sifuna would use UDP after an attempt to rename the party to Ukombozi People’s Party was rejected by the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties.
“We have a party. And it’s called the United Democratic Party (UDP). It is the party Sifuna will use,” Natembeya said, according to The Star.
The planned launch follows weeks of efforts by Sifuna’s allies to secure a political platform for his presidential ambitions. The senator’s Linda Mwananchi movement had initially sought to rebrand UDP as Ukombozi People’s Party.
The Registrar of Political Parties rejected the proposed name, citing legal provisions that bar the registration or use of a party name that closely resembles the name, slogan or symbol of an existing political party or legal entity.
The registrar said the proposed Ukombozi People’s Party name resembled the Ukombozi Alliance, which had been reserved by another applicant. The Ukombozi Alliance is the new name adopted by the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition.
The rejection forced Sifuna’s team to reconsider its options as political parties prepare for the 2027 elections. Natembeya has now identified UDP as the party that will provide the senator with a political home.
UDP was previously associated with former Lugari MP and Cabinet minister Cyrus Jirongo, who died in December 2025.
Natembeya said opposition parties were still working towards a broader coalition despite individual politicians establishing or using separate political parties.
He said the parties could operate independently while eventually coming together under a coalition arrangement to support a single presidential candidate.
“When we said that we shall be united as the opposition, everyone has to be in their own house,” Natembeya said. “We shall make sure that we have one presidential candidate.”
The development comes as several opposition figures position themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential contest. Sifuna has been campaigning through the Linda Mwananchi movement, while other opposition leaders have also expressed interest in the presidency.
People’s Renaissance Movement leader Caleb Amisi has separately called on opposition parties to support Sifuna as a joint presidential candidate. Amisi said the Nairobi senator represents a younger generation of political leaders and urged other presidential hopefuls to consider backing him.
Sifuna’s political plans have also been affected by disagreements within Linda Mwananchi and competing ambitions among opposition figures. Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has called on Sifuna and Embakasi MP Babu Owino to resolve differences among their supporters after disputes within the movement took on ethnic overtones.
The choice of UDP also comes as political parties face approaching electoral deadlines. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has set October 15, 2026, as the deadline for political parties intending to participate in the 2027 General Election to submit the names and specimen signatures of their authorised officials. Parties are also required to submit their nomination rules by October 30.
Sifuna and his allies are therefore expected to move quickly to organise the party structures and prepare for the next phase of their political activities.
Natembeya said opposition leaders remained engaged in discussions aimed at developing a coalition and selecting a presidential candidate. He dismissed public disagreements as largely driven by social media and maintained that opposition lead
About Author
