Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya have hit a major roadblock in their political ambitions after the Registrar of Political Parties rejected their application to rebrand the United Democratic Party (UDP) into the Ukombozi Party of Kenya (UPK).
The two political heavyweights had pushed hard for the name change, hoping to give their political outfit a fresh identity and stronger footing heading into the elections. However, their plans came crashing down when the registrar, John Cox Lorionokou, rejected the proposal, citing a critical issue that had already been flagged months earlier.
According to Lorionokou, the name "Ukombozi" is too similar to "Ukombozi Alliance" (TUA), which had already been reserved by a different political group way back on July 20, 2026. This similarity, he argued, could cause confusion among voters and the broader public, making it impossible to approve the rebranding request. The rejection essentially means Sifuna and Natembeya will have to go back to the drawing board.
It turns out that Ukombozi Alliance had originally been registered as a rebranded name for Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance. This prior reservation means the door is firmly shut on the UDP's hopes of using that particular name, leaving the two leaders in a tight spot as they race against the clock.
The timing of this rejection has piled pressure on Sifuna and his allies. Political parties participating in the upcoming elections are supposed to submit their nomination rules which must be certified by the Registrar of Political Parties to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) by October 30, 2026. That's a deadline that's fast approaching, and with their preferred party name now off the table, Sifuna and Natembeya are running out of time to sort out their political vehicle and meet all the statutory requirements needed to compete in the elections.
The setback is a significant blow to the political ambitions of the two leaders, who will now need to either find an alternative party name or explore other political options if they hope to participate in the electoral process as planned.
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