{{Citations needed|date=March 2026}} {{Short description|Political party in Kenya}} {{Use British English |date =March 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}} {{Infobox political party |name = People's Liberation Party |native_name = |lang1 = |name_lang1 = |colorcode = #800080 |logo = Plpkenya logo (2).png |leader = Martha Karua |chairman = |president = |organising_secretary = |leader1_title = Secretary General |leader1_name = Asha Bashir |leader2_title = Vice chairman |leader2_name = Kabala Kile |leader3_title = Treasurer |leader3_name = Fatuma Abbas |slogan = Unite - Liberate |founder = |founded = 2005 |dissolved = |merger = |split = |headquarters = Nairobi Liberation House, Woodlands Road, off Lenana Road |membership_year = |membership = |ideology = |position = |national = |international = |affiliation1_title = |affiliation1 = |colours = {{color box|#800080}}<br />{{color box|#C8A2C8}}<br/>{{color box|#FFFFFF}} |seats1_title = |seats1 = |seats2_title = |seats2 = |seats3_title = |seats3 = |symbol = |website = {{URL|https://Plpkenya.com}} |country = |country2 = |state = }}
The '''People's Liberation Party (PLP)''', previously known as the '''National Rainbow Coalition–Kenya''' ('''NARC–Kenya''') until February 2025,<ref name="Citizen Digital" /> is a political party in Kenya.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Githinji |first=Irene |title=Martha Karuas Narc Kenya party rebrands to People's Liberation Party of Kenya |date=28 February 2025 |url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/national/article/2001512845/martha-karuas-narc-kenya-party-rebrands-to-peoples-liberation-party-of-kenya |newspaper=The Standard |access-date=24 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250228074901/https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/national/article/2001512845/martha-karuas-narc-kenya-party-rebrands-to-peoples-liberation-party-of-kenya |archive-date=28 February 2025}}</ref>
==History== The party was formed after the defeat of the government-sponsored draft constitution. It was formed by National Rainbow Coalition members loyal to the government.<ref>http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=1&newsid=74484 {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref> The party, though months old, captured 3 parliamentary seats (Nakuru Town, Saku and North Horr) and 2 Civic seats in the by-elections of 24 July 2006 that was seen as a litmus test for the upcoming general elections for which the new party was planned to play a major role in securing reelection for president Mwai Kibaki.
{{Infobox political party | name = History as National Rainbow Coalition – Kenya | logo = File:Narc Kenya logo.jpg | colorcode = green | leader = Martha Wangari Karua | president = Martha Wangari Karua | chairman = Martha Wangari Karua | secretary_general = Asha Bashir | ideology = | headquarters = Woodland Road, off Lenana Road, Nairobi | international = | website = {{URL|https://web.archive.org/web/20130501063540/http://www.narckenya.org|date=1 May 2013|url-status=usurped}} | country = Kenya | native_name = | lang1 = | name_lang1 = | leader1_title = | leader1_name = | leader2_title = | leader2_name = | leader3_title = | slogan = One Kenya, One nation, One people | founder = | founded = 2005 | dissolved = | merger = | split = National Rainbow Coalition | successor = People's Liberation Party | membership_year = | membership = | position = | national = | affiliation1_title = | affiliation1 = | colours = {{color box|black}}Black<br />{{color box|red}}Red<br />{{color box|white}}White<br />{{color box|green}}Green | seats1_title = | seats1 = | seats2_title = | seats2 = | seats3_title = | seats3 = | symbol = 🌹 | country2 = }}
==By-elections== During the by-elections of 24 June 2006, the party won three out of the five parliamentary posts up for grabs. Its candidates William Kariuki, Hussein Sasura and Ukur Yattani Kanacho won the Constituencies of Nakuru Town, Saku and North Horr.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=37921 |title=Archived copy |access-date=30 June 2023 |archive-date=10 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220410163742/http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=37921 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2025, ''Chama Cha Kazi'''s (Swahili for Party of/for Work) Member of County Assembly Duncan Mbui resigned his Evurore ward seat in hopes of winning the Mbeere North Constituency parliamentary by-election which he lost.<ref name="People Daily" /> A by-election was scheduled for and held on 26 February 2026 for Evurore ward, with Martha Karua endorsing PLP's Joseph Nyaga Njeru <ref name="People Daily">{{Cite news |last=Lagat |first=Faith |title=Karua’s party unveils Joseph Njeru as candidate for Evurore Ward by-election |date=24 January 2026 |access-date =19 March 2026 |url=https://peopledaily.digital/inside-politics/karuas-party-unveils-joseph-njeru-as-candidate-for-evurore-ward-by-election |newspaper =People Daily |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260125044504/https://peopledaily.digital/inside-politics/karuas-party-unveils-joseph-njeru-as-candidate-for-evurore-ward-by-election |archive-date=25 January 2026 |url-status=live}}</ref> who lost to United Democratic Alliance's Duncan Muratia.<ref>{{ Cite news |title=Isiolo South, Evurore and Muminji: UDA wins all seats in Mt Kenya by-election contest |date=27 February 2026 |url=https://nation.africa/kenya/counties/uda-clinches-isiolo-south-and-ward-seats-in-by-election-win-5373572 |access-date =18 March 2026 |publisher=Nation Media Group |newspaper =Daily Nation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260302235008/https://nation.africa/kenya/counties/uda-clinches-isiolo-south-and-ward-seats-in-by-election-win-5373572 |archive-date=2 March 2026 |url-status=live}} </ref>
==Before the 2007 elections== Incumbent president Mwai Kibaki was expected to receive the party's nomination for another 5-year term. The party, however, never took off. Important figures around Kibaki were hesitant to join. Thus a few months before the 2007 election, a new coalition by the name of Party of National Unity (PNU) was formed of which NARC-Kenya became a part. The party decided, however, to field a number of candidates under its own flag, thus contributing to the overall poor results for PNU in the parliamentary elections where parties affiliated to PNU competed against each other.
==2007 elections== At the Kenyan general election, 2007, Narc-Kenya managed to enter three candidates into parliament.
==Post 2008== In late 2008 PNU opted to register as a political party in its own right, to the opposition of several coalition parties including NARC-Kenya. Narc-Kenya opted to continue registering members in its own right electing Martha Karua as party leader in November 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nation.co.ke/News/politics/-/1064/491434/-/yvok78z/-/index.html|title=Karua endorsed as Narc Kenya boss|work=Daily Nation|date=3 July 2020}}</ref> Narc Kenya gained the distinction of being the first political party to apply for registration under the new political parties act passed as part of implementing Kenya's new constitution.<ref>[http://www.the-star.co.ke/national/national/63894-karuas-narc-kenya-first-to-apply-for-registration Karuas Narc Kenya first to apply for registration] the-star.co.ke {{dead link|date=June 2023}}</ref>
==Rebrand from NARC–Kenya== In February 2025, the National Rainbow Coalition–Kenya officially rebranded to the '''People's Liberation Party (PLP)'''. <ref name="Citizen Digital" >{{Cite news |title=Martha Karua's NARC-Kenya rebrands to People's Liberation Party |date=25 February 2026 |url=https://www.citizen.digital/article/martha-karuas-narc-kenya-rebrands-to-peoples-liberation-party-n358251 |work=Citizen Digital |access-date =18 March 2026 |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20260318140011/https://www.citizen.digital/article/martha-karuas-narc-kenya-rebrands-to-peoples-liberation-party-n358251 |archive-date =18 March 2026 |url-status =live}} </ref> The new slogan is "Unite - Liberate". Party leader, Martha Karua argued that Narc-Kenya had become less familiar to younger people and that its rebrand aimed at reinvigorating its appeal. The PLP focuses on unity, transparency, and accountability.<ref name="Citizen Digital" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Official website|https://plpkenya.com}} *Former website[http://www.narckenya.or.ke] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060815003744/http://www.narckenya.or.ke/ |date=15 August 2006|url-status=usurped}}
{{Kenyan political parties}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:National Rainbow Coalition - Kenya}} Category:Political parties in Kenya Category:Political parties established in 2005 Category:2005 establishments in Kenya {{Kenya-party-stub}}