Tribunal nullifies Gloria Orwoba's expulsion from UDA

 Former Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba. [File, Standard]

The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) has nullified the expulsion of former Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), declaring the process unlawful and politically motivated.

In a ruling on Wednesday, August 20, the  tribunal chair Desma Nungo with members Theresa Chepkwony and Abdirahman Adan Abdikadir said the party’s disciplinary process denied Orwoba a fair hearing and was marred by procedural flaws.

“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 Nungo.

She added, “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 defense.”

The PPDT barred the Registrar of Political Parties (RPP) from deleting Orwoba’s name from the register and ordered UDA to reverse all steps taken to enforce her expulsion.

Orwoba had been expelled on May 19 for misconduct, including attending the homecoming of former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and criticising President William Ruto’s labour mobility programme.

UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar said the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) endorsed the disciplinary committee’s recommendation, accusing her of damaging the party’s image and ignoring invitations to appear before it.

The tribunal noted UDA announced her expulsion despite an interim court order suspending the process, and relied on unsigned documents rather than official records.

“It is clear that 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 the rules of natural justice,” the tribunal noted.

The ruling came as Consolata Nabwire Wakwabubi was sworn in as Orwoba’s replacement after her gazettement by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on August 15.

Orwoba has since petitioned the High Court to challenge Wakwabubi’s nomination, calling it unconstitutional.