Linda Mwananchi luminary Senator Edwin Sifuna formally launched the Equitable Party of Kenya, positioning the outfit as a new political vehicle for citizens seeking what he described as constitutional governance, accountability and equitable development ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during the party’s launch, Sifuna said the formation of the new political outfit marked a new chapter in Kenya’s democratic journey and would provide a platform for citizens dissatisfied with the country’s current political direction.
He said the party had emerged after efforts to retain the movement within its previous political home failed, accusing unnamed forces of capturing the party and pushing it away from the principles associated with the late former opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Sifuna invoked Odinga’s legacy, saying the launch had particular significance because it was taking place in October, which he described as the month in which Kenya lost the veteran opposition leader.
“We are here because of him, and he has enabled us to scale the mountain and see the promised land,” Sifuna said, adding that the new movement would continue pursuing the ideals he associated with Odinga.
He said the Equitable Party would initially operate under its current name but that the movement intended to seek its rebranding to the Linda Mwananchi Movement, in line with a resolution by the principals of Linda Mwananchi.
Sifuna, however, said the party would retain the Equitable Party name if attempts to secure the rebranding faced further obstacles.
The senator said the new party would focus on issues affecting ordinary Kenyans, including the cost of living, unemployment, taxation, access to education and healthcare, and equitable distribution of development resources.
He accused the government of failing to adequately respond to the needs of citizens and alleged that corruption and wastage of public resources were contributing to the country’s economic difficulties.
Sifuna cited claims of billions of shillings lost through corruption, a large budget deficit and rising public debt, saying such figures should be viewed in terms of their impact on ordinary citizens rather than as statistics.
“These numbers represent the pain and suffering of the ordinary Kenyan,” he said.
Economic programme
Sifuna said a team of experts assembled by the movement was developing a detailed policy platform that would be presented to Kenyans ahead of the 2027 election.
According to Sifuna, the team believes government expenditure can be reduced significantly, creating room for tax relief and measures aimed at lowering the cost of living.
He said the experts had identified between KSh500 billion and KSh1.8 trillion in what they describe as “budgeted corruption” and argued that eliminating such expenditure could enable the government to scrap the Housing Levy and VAT on fuel and electricity.
Sifuna said the team would publish a line-by-line analysis of the national budget to demonstrate where it believes government spending could be reduced.
He further claimed that the proposed interventions could enable Kenya to achieve a balanced budget within 15 months, reduce government reliance on domestic borrowing and increase the availability of credit to the private sector.
He did not provide the detailed proposals during the launch but said they would form part of the movement’s policy platform.
Call for inclusive politics
Sifuna said the Equitable Party would be anchored on constitutionalism, the rule of law, national values and the sovereignty of the people.
He said young people should have a meaningful role in shaping national policy rather than being mobilised merely to attend political rallies.
The senator also called for greater opportunities for women in leadership and said all regions and communities should receive equal consideration in national affairs.
He said political competition should not undermine national cohesion, arguing that Kenyans could disagree politically while maintaining their shared national identity.
The party, he added, would seek to build politics around ideas, programmes, accountability and public service.
“We will listen before we speak. We will consult before we decide. We will explain our policies and account for our actions,” Sifuna said.
He also rejected what he described as a model of politics centred on a single individual making decisions on behalf of everyone.
“The era of the one-man-expert-in-everything must end,” he said.
Appeal for wider support
Sifuna acknowledged individuals who had offered alternative political platforms to accommodate the movement, including Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, former political leaders and Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya.
He thanked the founders and previous leadership of the Equitable Party for making the party available to the movement and said he was humbled by the invitation to lead it.
“I have no capacity on my own to create a movement. This movement belongs to all of you,” he said.
Sifuna said the party was open to Kenyans who believe that government should operate within the Constitution and the law.
He called on citizens to join the movement and participate in building what he described as a significant political force ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Government must work for the mwananchi, not merely in speeches, but in the cost of food, the availability of work, the quality of public services and the dignity with which every person is treated,” Sifuna said.
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