Former nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba has come out. She is accusing the Senate of punishing her for speaking out against sexual harassment within Parliament.
Addressing the press, Orwoba confirmed that she will appeal her recent six-month suspension, which also bars her from Senate precincts, official sessions, travel, and allowances.
Orwoba claims her troubles began two years ago after she rejected what she describes as a sexual advance from a senior Senate official. She says her refusal triggered a chain of retaliation, including legislative sabotage, blocked bills, denied travel opportunities, and eventually, her suspension.
“I reported an incident of sexual harassment. Instead of being supported, I was charged, prosecuted, and punished. They made my cry for justice a disciplinary offense,” she stated.
Orwoba alleged that Clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye used his influence to sideline her legislative agenda and orchestrated her suspension while she was away in New York, attending the Clinton Global Initiative.
According to Orwaba this was a calculated move to deny her the constitutional right to defend herself before the Powers and Privileges Committee.
“They knew I was away, just like the President and other senior officials. That motion was deliberately passed in my absence so that I wouldn’t have my 20 minutes to speak the truth in Parliament,” she said.
Orwoba disclosed that she had reported the matter to both the Parliamentary Service Commission and Senate leadership, including House Speaker Amason Kingi. However, her complaints were allegedly ignored, and no investigations were initiated.
In a chilling revelation, Orwoba painted a picture of what she describes as a toxic work environment for women in Parliament, marked by systemic sexual coercion.
“There is sex in exchange for trips, legislative support, and even office space allocations. It’s not just happening in tea farms in Kericho, it’s right here in Parliament,” she asserted.
She further challenged the media to investigate Senate travel records to expose favoritism and discrimination. She is claiming that nominated women senators face undue pressure to comply with inappropriate demands in exchange for parliamentary privileges.
Orwoba is also facing a court-imposed defamation fine of KSh10 million for her remarks against Clerk Nyegenye, a ruling she has appealed. She accused the clerk of manipulating legal technicalities, including using a public response video as evidence against her.
“The law has loopholes, and he exploited one. He couldn’t sue Parliament, so he waited for me to respond publicly and used that video to file a defamation case. But I’m appealing. I will not be silenced,” she declared.
Additionally, she revealed that the embattled former senator delivered a defiant message to Kenyan women. Urging them not to remain silent in the face of sexual harassment.
“Nobody is going to fight for you. If I can’t even get justice in Parliament, where does that leave women working in homes, farms, and factories? I will fight to the end, even if it costs me everything,” Orwoba said tearfully.
“And if I die, I want you to know these are the battles I picked up. I believe God put me in that position for a reason.”
Despite the suspension and mounting legal and political pressure, Orwoba remains unbowed. She has vowed to continue pursuing justice both in court and in the court of public opinion.
Her case now raises urgent questions about the institutional mechanisms in place to handle sexual harassment within Kenya’s political institutions. Also whether whistleblowers, particularly women can ever be truly protected.