The High Court has delivered a stunning legal blow to the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition, declaring the merger between Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi’s Amani National Congress (ANC) and President Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) unconstitutional, null, and void.

In a ruling that scrambles the political chessboard ahead of 2027, Justice Bahati Mwamuye ordered the immediate reinstatement of ANC as an independent political party. The judge declared that the dissolution process, which culminated in a gazette notice earlier this year, failed to meet the statutory threshold and violated the political rights of members.The court further ordered that all assets transferred to UDA—including party offices and funds—be returned to ANC.

"Overtaken by Events"?

The UDA has reacted with defiance. UDA Deputy Party Leader Issa Timamy, who was the ANC leader leading the merger, dismissed the ruling as "overtaken by events." Timamy argues that the dissolution was voluntary, ratified by a Special National Delegates Congress (NDC), and blessed by the Registrar of Political Parties. "The members and officials have already been integrated into UDA," Timamy stated. "You cannot unscramble an egg."

• The Petitioner: The case was brought by rights activist Stephen Mutoro, who argued that the merger was a top-down imposition that stripped members of their identity without proper public participation.
• Mudavadi’s Dilemma: This ruling places Musalia Mudavadi in a precarious position. He had staked his political future on dissolving his vehicle to become a core shareholder in UDA. Now, legally, he is back to being the de facto leader of an independent party, potentially complicating his relationship with President Ruto.

2027 Calculations Reset

Political analysts view this as a "political correction" rather than just a legal setback. It gives Mudavadi a lifeline—intentional or otherwise—to reclaim his bargaining power. If ANC exists, Mudavadi has a fallback option should the UDA house become too hot.

The ruling also emboldens other coalition partners like Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetangula, who resisted dissolution. The message from the judiciary is clear: political expediency cannot override the constitution. As the Registrar of Political Parties moves to comply with the order, the "mega-party" dream of President Ruto faces its first major legal hurdle.