Before the 2017 elections, little was known about Senator Gloria Orwoba who was nominated by the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.
The 39-year-old had just come back into the country to try her hand in public governance in her home county, targeting the Kisii County Youth Executive position.
Unknown then, she fell flat on her face and went back to Europe where she had been with her family since 2015. She was at the time a Facebook data manager in Denmark.
Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba speaks about period poverty at Parliament buildings, Nairobi on June 20, 2023.
Photo credit: File | Nation
The setback did not, however, deter her ambitions and after two years, Ms Orwoba decided to permanently relocate to Kenya and try her hand in elective politics. This time, she targeted the Bobasi constituency seat, but lost at the UDA party primaries.
The indomitable spirit in which she campaigned for UDA party leader William Ruto, as part of his campaign team in the lead-up to the 2022 General Election, saw lady luck smile on her as she was one of the nominated senators under the ruling party.
The St. George’s Girls’ Secondary School alumna was sworn in as a senator in the 13th Parliament in October 2022.
Just months after being sworn in as a nominated senator, Ms Orwoba stormed Parliament in February 2023 with white trousers stained in red in the groin area as part of her campaign against period poverty and shaming in the country.
That act catapulted Ms Orwoba, the founder of Glo’s Pad Bank, to instant fame. Her name was on most Kenyans' lips; and she gained both national and international popularity.
Former senator Gloria Orwoba on a campaign poster against period shaming.
Photo credit: Pool
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi kicked her out of the Senate House but she remained vocal about her campaign to curb period stigma, even erecting billboards in parts of Nairobi and issuing free sanitary towels to young girls and women.
She describes herself on her website as not just a name but an embodiment of a dynamic force dedicated to transforming lives and reshaping societies.
She would be at an arm’s length from the President during photo sessions in one function, right behind him in another and would even be playfully pinched on the cheek by the President at State House.
Six months after the famous ‘period’ walk, Ms Orwoba stunned the nation by making wild claims of entrenched harassment and pursuit of sexual favours in the Senate.
“I raised complaints and concerns about favouritism and solicitation of sexual favours coming from a powerful and influential office held by a man in the Senate,” she said in the Senate.
Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba's billboard next to All Saints' Cathedral Church, along Kenyatta Avenue, Nairobi on June 22, 2024.
Photo credit: File | Nation
Ms Orwoba was speaking before the House after claiming that she did not travel to Geneva, Switzerland for the United Nations 53rd Human Rights Council Conference after the man she had accused of favouritism and soliciting sexual favours had allegedly “hid her passport”.
Things started going south for her in September 2023 when the Senate Powers and Privileges Committee recommended that she be suspended from the Senate for 79 days over gross misconduct. She rushed to court to bar the Senate from suspending her but lost the battle early this year.
She was then suspended from precincts of Parliament starting February 12, 2025.
But the suspension did not deter Ms Orwoba from getting into further trouble in April when she joined a delegation that welcomed former Interior CS Fred Matiang’i back to the country at the Jomo Kenya International Airport.
Days later, she launched a scathing attack on the government’s labour mobility programme during a radio interview.
Jubilee Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni (in red), Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba (left) and other leaders and supporters welcome former Interior CS Fred Matiang'i (centre) on April 18, 2025 at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Photo credit: Pool
Then, on May 2, she attended a homecoming ceremony of Dr Matiang’i at the Gusii Stadium in utter defiance of her UDA party.
Following this, the ruling party initiated disciplinary proceedings against Ms Orwoba culminating in her expulsion from the party on May 19 for violating its code of conduct for allegedly shifting allegiance to another political movement.
“I am being accused of being a Kisii or coming from the Gusii community. I cannot change that. It appears that the allegations that are being made are that I stop being a Kisii,” the lawmaker said as she faced disciplinary proceedings.
Despite attempts to whip ethnic emotions, the UDA National Executive Committee adopted and ratified the disciplinary committee’s decision to expel her from the party.
“Senator Gloria Orwoba ceases to be a member of the UDA party. Consequently, she no longer enjoys any privileges accorded to party members nor is she authorised to represent or act on behalf of the party in any capacity,” said UDA Secretary-General Hassan Omar.
Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba at Parliament buildings, Nairobi on July 27, 2023.
Photo credit: File | Nation
Senate Kingi ratified the expulsion by declaring her seat vacant effective May 21, 2025. She was nominated to represent women in the Senate.
However, Justice Lawrence Mugambi suspended her expulsion from the ruling party until the determination of her case against the UDA disciplinary committee and Registrar of Political Parties.
“…a conservatory order is issued suspending the implementation of the decision of the UDA party disciplinary committee dated May 16, 2025 expelling the petitioner as member of the UDA party or a nominated senator,” said the judge.
Not one to go down easily, Ms Orwoba initiated contempt proceedings against seven UDA officials, including Chairperson Cecily Mbarire and Mr Omar, over alleged defiance of a court that had stopped her expulsion.
She said she believes her removal is null and void, arguing that it was executed despite an order stopping UDA from conducting disciplinary proceedings.
Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba's billboard on Kenyatta Avenue, Nairobi on June 22, 2024.
Photo credit: File | Nation
She is now in court, fighting to retain her seat in the Senate and membership in the UDA party. The case is scheduled to be called on June 3, 2025 for further directions.
Now identifying herself as part of “Team Wantam”, Ms Orwoba is still firing from all cylinders and is daring the government to bring it on.
“I already knew I had lost the job the moment I brought the statement about diaspora jobs to the Senate, saying what the government is doing is wrong. I told my desk mate, Kirinyaga Senator James Murango, that I know I am on my last days as a senator because I already knew my fate is sealed by choosing to fight that war on the diaspora jobs scam,” she said in a recent interview.
“I didn't come here for trips and salary; I came here to become a change maker. I do not want to be nominated again, and hopefully in 2027 Bobasi Constituency will have seen the work I have done.”
