Wiper Democratic Movement party has officially rebranded to Wiper Patriotic Front, the Registrar of Political Parties Ann Nderitu has announced.
In a gazette notice, the Registrar of Political Parties issued a seven-day ultimatum to anyone with objections to the name change to submit memoranda to that effect.
“In exercise of the power conferred by section 20 (1) (d) of the Political Parties Act, the Registrar of Political Parties gives notice that Wiper Democratic Movement (WDM) intends to change its party name to Wiper Patriotic Front (WPF),” the notice reads.
“Any person with written submissions concerning the intended change by the political party shall, within seven (7) days from the date of this publication, deposit them with the Registrar of Political Parties.”
The party affiliated with former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka was founded in 2006 as Orange Democratic Movement–Kenya (ODM–Kenya) following the 2005 Kenyan constitutional referendum. It later adopted the name Wiper Democratic Movement - Kenya in 2011 to differentiate itself from Raila Odinga's ODM party.
In 2021, the party had yet another rebrand, dropping the Kenya tag, and going on to be called Wiper Democratic Movement. The latest change of name is seemingly tied to the upcoming 2027 General Election, where a specific focus has been put on promoting voter registration, especially amongst the youth.
In a past campaign tour, Kalonzo revealed that the change of name was to honour Gen Zs who lost their lives during the deadly 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests.
Kalonzo’s move to change his party’s identity follows in the same footsteps of his fellow opposition leaders, Martha Karua and Rigathi Gachagua, who both unveiled new political outfits as the country’s political temperatures rise.
Karua rebranded the National Rainbow Coalition-Kenya (NARC-K) party to the People’s Liberation Party. In the raft of changes, Karua’s PLP saw a shift in party slogan, colours and symbol.
The party changed its party colours from luminous, red, and white to lilac, white, and purple.
In the complete rebrand, the party’s symbol would change to a purple rose from a rose flower. The changes would also see the party rewrite its slogan to 'Unite, Liberate' from 'One Kenya, One Nation, One People'.
Meanwhile, former Deputy President Gachagua unveiled a new party, the Democracy for Citizens’ Party (DCP), after he was officially kicked out of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
The party’s symbols include a neon green and white emblem with an engraving of 'Skiza Wakenya' and a logo depicting fingers holding on to an ear.
Senior DCP leaders include former Bungoma Senator Cleophas Malala, former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi and former Lakipia Senator Cate Waruguru. By
