Former nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba on Wednesday August 27, caused a dramatic scene at the Senate after she was temporarily barred from accessing the precincts, despite arriving armed with court documents reinstating her to office.
Visibly agitated, Orwoba insisted that she had legally resumed her duties and accused security officers of enforcing “orders from above.”
“Si mmepewa orders from above? Mimi nimekuja kazini. Siendi nyumbani! Nitaenda nyumbani mkifunga,” she shouted at police officers stationed at the entrance, daring them to arrest her. In another video clip that circulated online, Orwoba could be seen confronting a female officer, insisting she was ready to be taken in.
The standoff followed a ruling by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) on August 20, which nullified her expulsion from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA). The tribunal, chaired by Desma Nungo, found that the party’s disciplinary process was riddled with irregularities, breaching principles of fairness and natural justice.
“There was no fair opportunity for hearing, and the complainant was not furnished with the impugned decision,” the ruling stated. It further noted that key documents, including the complaint letter, were unsigned and undated, and there was no evidence the expulsion decision was ever served to Orwoba.
Orwoba, who had been expelled over alleged disloyalty, a charge she dismissed as politically driven maintains she remains a sitting nominated senator until a court decides otherwise. She has vowed to continue discharging her legislative duties, describing her expulsion as unlawful.
UDA, however, maintains that the disciplinary action was valid. Party lawyers had argued before the tribunal that the case was sub judice owing to a pending High Court petition filed by Orwoba, but the tribunal dismissed the claim, ruling that no parallel proceedings were active.
The PPDT ruling effectively stripped UDA’s disciplinary process of its legality, a decision that has reignited political tensions within the ruling party. Whether the Senate leadership will formally recognize Orwoba’s reinstatement remains to be seen, as the matter appears headed for further legal and political battles.
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