NAIROBI, Kenya—Jan 22, 2026—The High Court has nullified the merger between the Amani National Congress (ANC) and the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), dealing a major setback to the ruling party’s consolidation efforts ahead of future political realignments.
In its ruling, the court found that the merger process did not fully comply with legal and constitutional requirements governing political party coalitions and dissolutions, effectively rendering the union invalid.
The decision now restores ANC as a distinct political party, months after it had been dissolved following its merger with UDA.
ANC, founded and led by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, formally merged with President William Ruto’s UDA in 2023, a move that saw the party folded into the ruling outfit under the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
At the time, ANC officials argued the merger would strengthen political unity and enhance governance within the ruling coalition. However, the decision was contested in court by party members and stakeholders who claimed the process lacked proper consultation and violated party laws.
The petitioners argued that ANC’s grassroots structures were not adequately involved and that statutory procedures under the Political Parties Act were not fully adhered to.
The ruling is expected to have significant political ramifications, particularly within the Kenya Kwanza Alliance, where ANC leaders had already assumed roles under the UDA banner.
Legal experts say the judgment could trigger fresh negotiations, appeals, or a possible reconstitution of ANC’s party organs, depending on the next legal steps taken.
