Gloria Orwoba Out: IEBC Boss Erastus Ethekon Gazettes UDA Nominee Replacing Rebel MP
- The IEBC struck Gloria Orwoba off UDA’s Senate nomination list, sealing months of bitter fallout that began with her dramatic political shift earlier this year
- In a gazette notice, chairperson Erastus Ethekon replaced her with nominee Consolata Wakwabubi, cementing UDA’s final move to eject the senator
- Orwoba’s removal followed her May expulsion from UDA after a disciplinary petition accused her of disloyalty and breaching the party’s constitution
- Her troubles began when she publicly aligned with ex-CS Fred Matiang’i, attending opposition-linked rallies that UDA leaders branded as betrayal
Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has formally declared the replacement of embattled nominated senator Gloria Magoma Orwoba, sealing her fallout with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
Source: Facebook
In a gazette notice dated Friday, August 15, IEBC chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon announced the deletion of Orwoba’s name from the list of women nominated to the Senate under UDA.
In her place, the commission inserted Consolata Nabwire Wakwabubi, a party nominee from Bungoma county.
The notice directed that Orwoba be struck off as nominee number four under UDA, with Wakwabubi assuming the slot effective immediately.
This administrative move, though procedural, cements the party’s decision to eject Orwoba following months of escalating tensions.
With Ethekon’s gazette notice, Wakwabubi now officially enters the Senate as UDA’s newest nominee.
Wakwabubi hails from Kimilili in Bungoma county and was listed in UDA’s original 2022 party list.
Why did UDA expel Orwoba from the party?
Orwoba’s removal was triggered by her expulsion from UDA in May, when the party accused her of outright disloyalty.
In a press release signed by secretary general Hassan Omar on May 19, UDA announced that its Disciplinary Committee had unanimously resolved to terminate her membership.
The committee cited a petition by members Festus Omwamba and Henry Muriithi, who accused Orwoba of breaching Article 29 of the party constitution.
Omar said UDA’s decision was final, stressing that loyalty was non-negotiable.
"While the UDA party upholds the values of freedom of expression and association as enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya 2010, fidelity and loyalty to party ideals are fundamental to its constitution. Gloria Orwoba cannot therefore continue to play for two political teams simultaneously," Omar said in the statement.
The fallout traces back to April 17, when Orwoba was spotted at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport welcoming former Interior Cabinet secretary Fred Matiang’i.
The homecoming was attended by opposition leaders and signalled a potential revival of Matiang’i’s political ambitions ahead of 2027.
Source: Facebook
Days later, Orwoba joined Matiang’i in political rallies across Gusii, a move insiders interpreted as a tacit endorsement of a rival presidential contender.
Her presence in those events caused uproar within UDA, where President William Ruto’s allies read it as betrayal.
By May, disciplinary proceedings had been fast-tracked, culminating in her expulsion and subsequent communication to Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, the Registrar of Political Parties, and IEBC.
Why did the court dismiss Orwoba's petition?
Ethekon's gazette notice came hours after Orwoba suffered a legal setback as the High Court declined to hear her petition challenging her expulsion from the UDA party.
Justice Lawrence Mugambi ruled the court lacked jurisdiction, as a similar dispute was already before the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT), and found it improper to run parallel proceedings.
He noted procedural flaws and dismissed her claims without addressing their substance, directing her to pursue remedies through the tribunal first and only return to court after exhausting that option.
The ruling also ruled out alleged contempt by the UDA disciplinary committee, citing insufficient evidence.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
