By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 20 January 2026 - Once a symbol of resistance politics under the late Kenneth Matiba, Saba Saba Asili has launched its most audacious political reboot yet—rebranding itself as the United Party of Independence Alliance (UPIA) in a calculated bid to break out of its regional cocoon and muscle into Kenya’s crowded national arena ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The renaming, unveiled during the opening of the party’s Murang’a office on Monday, January 19, 2026, is more than cosmetic.
It signals an attempt to reposition a party long associated with Central Kenya into a national outfit capable of courting voters—and power—across ethnic and regional lines.
National Organising Secretary Joe Kangoco framed the move as a strategic correction of history. Since its formation in 1991 at the height of the second liberation struggle, Saba Saba Asili has struggled to shed the tag of a regional vehicle. UPIA, he said, is designed to do exactly that.
“Changing the name comes with new structures that will enable us to reach every corner of this country,” Kangoco said, adding that the party already claims roots in 35 counties—a statistic clearly meant to project national viability in a political space where numbers, perception and momentum matter.
But perhaps the most disruptive promise from the rebranded party is its pledge to abolish nomination fees for aspirants seeking elective seats through UPIA. In a political culture where party tickets are often auctioned to the highest bidder, the move positions UPIA as an anti-establishment alternative aimed at attracting candidates with ideas rather than deep pockets.
“In most cases, people shy away from vying because the amounts required by parties are huge,” Kangoco noted. “We want leaders with capacity to deliver, not just financial muscle.”
That stance taps into a growing public fatigue with money politics, even as it raises questions about how the party will fund operations and competitive campaigns in a system where elections are brutally expensive. Still, the promise could resonate strongly at the grassroots, particularly among youth, professionals and reform-minded politicians locked out by cost.
UPIA is also keeping its coalition cards close to its chest. With Kenya’s political chessboard already shifting toward 2027, Kangoco said the party has not settled on which alliance to join, insisting it will back only a formation with “a common goal.” In today’s transactional coalition culture, that ambiguity offers flexibility—and leverage.
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Party official Jack Kamau revealed that the rebranding idea has been simmering for nearly a decade, delayed perhaps by internal inertia and Kenya’s fast-changing political tides. Its implementation now suggests urgency—and recognition that time is running out for parties that fail to evolve.
“We will hit the ground running, selling our policies and agenda to the people,” Kamau said, vowing aggressive grassroots mobilisation to turn UPIA into a formidable force, at least within its traditional strongholds and beyond.
Meanwhile, Catherine Wanjiru, the party’s gender representative, used the moment to challenge women to step forward, arguing that UPIA’s open-door policy offers a rare chance to rebalance Kenya’s male-dominated political space.
“We need more women in leadership. They have equal capacity to lead and bring change,” she said.
Whether UPIA’s rebrand translates into electoral muscle remains to be seen. Kenya’s political graveyard is littered with renamed parties and recycled slogans. But by tapping into Matiba’s liberation legacy, rejecting cash-gated nominations and pitching inclusivity, UPIA is clearly betting that 2027 voters may be ready for something different.
In a political season already warming up, UPIA’s message is clear: it wants back into the national conversation—and this time, it intends to stay there.
Why Saba Saba Asili Has Rebranded As UPIA
Saba Saba Asili Rebrands as UPIA in Bold 2027 Political Gambit
