Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has suffered a fresh legal challenge after lawyer Danstan Omari moved to the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal on behalf of Emmanuel Willyngtone Khamala, seeking to block the planned activities of The Equitable Party.
The complaint comes at a critical moment for Sifuna, whose political camp has been working towards transforming the party into the Linda Mwananchi Movement as part of efforts to strengthen its political influence ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Khamala, through Omari, is seeking orders to suspend the party's planned National Delegates Conference scheduled for November 13, 2026, pending the determination of the dispute.
In his application, Khamala has raised concerns over what he considers irregularities in the management of the party, particularly the manner in which its leadership structures and appointments have allegedly been established.
Among the issues highlighted is the appointment of individuals to leadership positions within the Linda Mwananchi Movement without conducting elections to give party members an opportunity to participate in choosing their representatives.
He has also questioned the absence of grassroots elections, arguing that the party should first establish legitimate branch and county structures before proceeding with a national delegates conference.
Additionally, the complaint challenges the proposed changes to the party's name, colours, symbol and headquarters, with Khamala insisting that such decisions must comply with the party constitution and established legal procedures.
The complainant maintains that he had previously attempted to raise the concerns with the party leadership through formal correspondence dated October 28 and November 6. However, he claims that his concerns were not adequately addressed, prompting him to seek intervention from the tribunal.
The complaint has also brought the National Executive Committee, National Elections Board, IEBC, Office of the Registrar of Political Parties and Political Parties Liaison Committee into the dispute, with Sifuna named as an interested party.
The legal battle presents another challenge to Sifuna's efforts to consolidate the Linda Mwananchi Movement and establish its organisational structures before the 2027 political contest.
With the November 13 conference approaching, attention now shifts to the tribunal and whether it will grant the orders sought by Khamala.
The eventual determination could influence the future of The Equitable Party and the political plans associated with Sifuna's Linda Mwananchi Movement.
Link
https://x.com/TheStarKenya/status/2120586643510022471?a=zIf5xPyKsmYB6gL8_Fo&s=19
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