Senator Gloria Orwoba Suspended For 6 Months Over 'Unsubstantiated' Sexual Claims

Senator Gloria Orwoba has been suspended from the Senate until February 2024 due to allegations of sexual harassment that have yet to be proven.

The Senate Powers and Privileges Committee recommended her suspension in August, and on Wednesday evening, the Senate approved the report. Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot had previously intervened to prevent the debate from becoming public. Ms Orwoba will not be allowed to enter the Parliament building or attend plenary and committee meetings and she will lose her sitting allowance and other privileges. She will also be unable to travel domestically or internationally, which is a source of extra income for many MPs.

Prior to being welcomed back into the Senate, the nominated senator will be required to express regret to her colleagues, the Clerk of the Senate, and the Parliament secretariat. Senator Godfrey Osotsi has given his backing to this motion saying senators need to exhibit respect and decorum when interacting within the Senate. Senator Osotsi recounted an incident where the nominated senator accused her colleagues of undermining her proposed Bill - the Konza Technopolis Bill - when asked to align it with the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) ministry's legislation. The nominated senator is accused of making unsubstantiated allegations of sexual favours by some parliamentary officials, but she failed to appear before the committee to defend herself.

The committee went ahead and considered the evidence before it and confirmed the charge as there was no evidence to refute it. The first-term lawmaker is also accused of disrespecting fellow senators by publishing disrespectful information about her colleagues and imputing improper motives on them, a charge that was also substantiated by her failure to appear before the committee to defend herself.

Several Members of Parliament including Senators Boni Khalwale, Okiya Omtatah, Wakoli Wafula, and Beatrice Ogolla among others supported the motion against the colleague accused of showing contempt for the committee and the House as a whole. Senator Omtatah specifically mentioned that the colleague had been given an opportunity to prove herself, but instead chose to bring up a sexual harassment allegation at the end. The issue arose after female nominated senators, including Hezena Lemaletian, Karen Nyamu, and Miraj Abdulahi, opposed a report and pulled the gender card.