The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal has overturned the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) decision declining to register the name Linda Mwananchi Movement (LMM).
The Tribunal ruled that the ORPP’s decision lacked legal justification and breached provisions of the Political Parties Act.
The Tribunal has consequently set aside the decision, dealing a setback to the ORPP’s position on the registration of the movement.
The ruling comes as political formations intensify preparations ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“A declaration is hereby issued that the decision of the respondent (RPP) contained in a letter dated August 7, 2026, declining to reserve the name Linda Mwananchi Movement was without legal justification,” the tribunal ruled.
Disputes over party name
The dispute over the two names was among the reasons cited by the Registrar in rejecting the appellants’ application. However, the Tribunal found that the earlier reservation of Liberty National Democratic Alliance (LINDA) could not legally be relied upon to block the new application.
The Tribunal noted that the reservation of the LINDA name had already lapsed by operation of law before the appellants submitted their application.
“As we have found, the reservation of the name Liberty National Democratic Alliance (LINDA) had lapsed by operation of law long before the appellants applied,” the Tribunal ruled.
It further held that the names proposed by the appellants were distinct from the lapsed LINDA name.
“In any event, the names proposed by the appellants are not that name,” the panel said.
The Tribunal also observed that the Registrar had not cited the name of any currently registered political party as a legal basis for rejecting the application.
Consequently, the panel, chaired by Innocent Muganda, set aside the Registrar’s decision declining to reserve the name Linda Mwananchi Movement (LMM).
The Registrar was directed to reconsider and take action on the appellants’ application in accordance with the law within seven days.
The case arose from an appeal filed under Section 40 of the Political Parties Act, which grants the Tribunal jurisdiction to hear appeals against decisions made by the Registrar.
The appellants had asked the Tribunal to compel the Registrar to approve and reserve the name Linda Mwananchi Movement and its abbreviation.
In a separate finding, the Tribunal struck out pleadings filed by LINDA as an interested party after determining that the organisation was not a fully registered political party.
The panel held that an unregistered political party lacks the legal capacity to sue, be sued or participate in proceedings in its own name under Section 16(1) of the Political Parties Act.
“We further find that not being a fully registered party, the interested party cannot sue, be sued, or participate in proceedings in its own name as it has no legal capacity,” the Tribunal ruled.
