Kalonzo’s Wiper to change name ahead of 2022 polls

In what is seen as rebranding ahead of the 2022 General Election, the Wiper Democratic Movement-Kenya party on Thursday announced that will change its name.

In the notice seen by The Standard, the Kalonzo Musyoka-led party asked the Registrar of Political Parties to drop the Kenya tag and only be called Wiper Democratic Movement.

According to the notice, the party will also change its colours from the bold sky blue, white and earth red to royal blue, white and earth red.

"Pursuant to Section 20 (2) of the Political Parties Act, 2011, Wiper Democratic Movement - Kenya intends to change its name from Wiper Democratic Movement - Kenya (WDM-K) to Wiper Democratic Movement and its party colours from bold sky blue, white and earth red to royal blue, white and earth red," read the statement.

This is the second time the party is changing its names after a similar change in December 2011 when it changed from ODM-Kenya to WDM-K.

The party also changed its symbol from one and a half orange to an umbrella and adopted new colours. The headquarter was moved from Lavington to the current location along Kufuga Road, off Langata Road in Karen, Nairobi County.

In 2020, the party's leader Kalonzo Musyoka had hinted at its rebranding that would affect its name and colours.

In August, he launched his 2022 presidential command centre which will act as the official communication centre for the former vice president ahead of next years’ General Election.

Speaking during the launch dubbed the ‘SKM Command Centre’ at Wiper Party Headquarters, Kalonzo said the centre will also be tasked with drafting his 2022 presidential manifesto.

“The pillar will form the basis of my manifesto that will be developed by the SKM Command Centre that we launched today and which will be unveiled to the country for interrogations in the coming months,” he said.

Kalonzo also hired ex-National Super Alliance (NASA) CEO Norman Magaya who worked closely with the ODM leader Raila Odinga during the high stakes 2017 elections in rebranding himself for the race.

The party has teamed up with Kanu, Amani National Congress and Ford Kenya to form the One Kenya Alliance (OKA).

These are some of the rebrandings that the party is undertaking as it prepares for the 2022 General Election.