Despite a court order, former nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba says she has gone for one year without pay, highlighting systemic impunity, harassment, and attacks on democratic institutions under the current government.
Speaking on Radio Generation on Tuesday, she described a system of governance in which law and court orders are disregarded, leaving even court-sanctioned reinstatement ineffectively.
She recounted how she was initially denied access to Parliament, despite winning her court case.
“I went already and stormed into Parliament. Yes, so, and I was denied access. I won the case. So there’s nothing else to win. I won the case. Yeah, there’s nothing else you can do.” Orwoba further explained that some of her benefits had been stopped even before she was removed, leaving her with pending claims she had never used.
Her legal battle stems from a stormy fallout with her party, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), and the Senate following disciplinary action and her removal from Parliament.
In May 2025, UDA’s National Executive Committee expelled her, accusing her of gross misconduct and violating the party’s constitution, including alleged disloyalty and harmful public statements, and formally wrote to the Speaker to remove her Senate seat.
Her disloyalty specifically pointed to her public association with key figures outside the party’s mainstream, most notably attending and participating in the homecoming events for former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, a high‑profile figure who is increasingly linked to opposition politics and a possible 2027 presidential contender.
UDA officials argued that her presence at Matiang’i’s welcome at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and subsequent celebrations demonstrated allegiance to another political movement and conduct inconsistent with the party’s code of conduct.
She was also accused of publicly criticising government policies, including remarks on the government’s labour mobility programme, which UDA described as damaging to the party’s image.
She challenged both her expulsion and removal, taking the matter to the courts. The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal ruled the expulsion unlawful and unprocedural, quashing the decision and directing UDA to reverse its actions, including restoring her party membership.
Despite this, parliamentary authorities barred her from the Senate chambers in August 2025 even after she presented reinstatement orders, prompting her dramatic confrontation with security officers and a brief arrest.
Reflecting on the type of people who thrive under the current administration, Orwoba said, “You have to be a thief, murderer, crook, some sort of stray creature for you to fit in, and I didn’t fit in any of it, so clearly.”
She highlighted the stark contrast between her persistence for accountability and the government’s culture of impunity, citing examples of officials welcomed despite scandals.
The former senator also shared her experience transitioning from a senator to an active citizen. “Being a senator simply gave you a louder voice. Give you a megaphone. Yes, and people got to know your visibility increased, but now a former senator is an active citizen, a very different kettle of fish.”
She explained that she is currently with the Gloria Orwoba Party while considering future political direction, emphasising that she doesn’t want to jump too quick, as the people she serves will give her directions.
Orwoba criticised the current government for disregarding democratic processes and using intimidation to control dissenters.
“In theory, you can say they cannot be expelled. Vitu kwa ground, translated to 'things on the ground' is that Ruto will make one phone call and you will not access Parliament, Ruto will pick up a phone call and literally tell your mother not to feed you, and your mother won’t feed you.” Orwoba illustrated a pervasive culture of fear where institutional processes are bypassed for political convenience.
Orwoba recounted a church attack she survived, describing the danger firsthand: “We were being shot at. We were inside the church. When we were being shot at, we had to barricade. The intent on that day really was to injure or kill one of us; they marked us even as we walked out.”
This comes a few months after Orwoba, who was among some political leaders who were caught up in a violent incident at Witima ACK Church in Othaya, Nyeri County, on Sunday, January 25, 2026, during a service attended by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Orwoba said she “accompanied H.E. Rigathi Gachagua at Witima ACK Church, while we were in church, we were violently attacked with live bullets and tear gas, and our vehicles vandalised and torched,” describing the scene as chaotic and frightening in what was meant to be worship.
According to multiple reports, uniformed police and unidentified individuals lobbed tear gas inside the church compound, forcing congregants, including women and children, to flee in panic, and vehicles were damaged outside as smoke filled the sanctuary.
Gachagua and allies claimed the use of both live bullets and tear gas by security personnel, denouncing the incident as unacceptable violence in a sacred space.
She revealed that the attackers were allegedly aligned with the government and that such rogue behaviour is enabled by leadership that encourages impunity.
She lamented how positions of power can erode personal identity, saying, “When the bell rings, and it comes to a stop, you won’t even remember who you were before you came here; this is the only life you can have.”
Former senator highlighted the mental health toll on politicians, noting that many members of Parliament require medical support due to stress and depression, particularly during election periods.
Despite the challenges, Orwoba remains committed to civic engagement and advocacy. “Go back to factory settings. I have never left the things that I did before,” she said, reflecting on her continued activism.
She acknowledged the importance of standing one’s ground, praising colleagues who have been punished for dissent, “Some of them, even their CDF money is delayed, they’ve really stood their ground.”
Orwoba’s reflections offer a rare, candid look into the pressures faced by dissenters under Kenya’s current administration, reaffirming the personal and political costs of challenging entrenched power.
Her experience illuminates broader concerns about governance, accountability, and the rule of law.
