The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) has quashed a decision by the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) disciplinary committee to expel nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba from the party over alleged misconduct.
The tribunal ruled that the disciplinary proceedings were marred by legal lapses and irregularities, adding that the process appeared calculated to remove Ms Orwoba from the party.
This decision came even as Ms Consolata Wabwire was sworn in to replace Ms Orwoba in the Senate. However, Ms Orwoba has since filed a petition at the High Court challenging the changes.
While nullifying her expulsion, the tribunal found that UDA’s disciplinary committee denied Ms Orwoba a fair hearing and failed to furnish her with a copy of its ruling, effectively preventing her from lodging an appeal.
“It is clear the proceedings of the disciplinary committee were calculated to achieve a politically motivated expulsion. There was no fair opportunity of hearing and the complainant was not furnished with the impugned decision. It is our finding that the proceedings were marred by legal procedural lapses and irregularities contrary to rules of natural justice,” the tribunal stated.
The tribunal barred the Registrar of Political Parties from removing Ms Orwoba’s name from its register on the basis of the contested decision and directed the party to reverse any actions taken following her expulsion, effectively reinstating her as a member of the party.
Ms Orwoba had been expelled on May 19, 2025 on accusations of shifting allegiance to another political outfit. She was accused of breaching the party’s code of conduct by attending the homecoming ceremony of former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and criticising President William Ruto’s labour mobility programme.
Aggrieved, she filed a complaint at the party’s tribunal arguing that her rights were violated since she was never granted a hearing and was denied access to the disciplinary proceedings.
Contested disciplinary process
Ruling in her favour, the tribunal chaired by Desma Nungo with members Theresa Chepkwony and Abdirahman Adan Abdikadir unanimously declared her expulsion null and void on grounds that it was unprocedural. They also issued an injunction barring her removal from the party register based on the contested disciplinary process.
The tribunal noted that UDA publicly announced Ms Orwoba’s expulsion even after informing her that the process had been suspended following an interim court order. It further observed that UDA relied on unsigned documents during the case and failed to produce official records of the disciplinary proceedings.
Instead, the tribunal admitted an audio recording and transcript submitted by Ms Orwoba, which captured the committee chairperson acknowledging the existence of the interim court order.
“The respondent failed to produce a copy of the proceedings, so the only record is the audio and transcription, which shows that the disciplinary hearing had been suspended due to an interim court order,” said Ms Nungo.
On this basis, the tribunal concluded that Ms Orwoba was misled into believing the process had been halted, only for substantive steps to be taken in her absence.
“She was not heard and there was no proper hearing. This was a political process masquerading as a legal process. She should have been afforded sufficient opportunity to prepare her defence,” the ruling read.
The tribunal further held that UDA violated Ms Orwoba’s right to fair hearing by ignoring her request for the committee’s written decision.
The decision now sets a precedent on fair disciplinary procedures within political parties, reinforcing constitutional guarantees of justice and due process.
Meanwhile, Ms Orwoba has petitioned the High Court to challenge the nomination of Ms Wabwire to replace her in the Senate, terming the move unconstitutional. The case is pending hearing and determination.
