NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 16 – The High Court has upheld the decision by the Senate Powers and Privileges Committee to suspend Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba for six months.
This follows the High Court’s dismissal of an application by Orwoba seeking to bar the Senate from suspending her from House business.
Once the House resumes from its two-month recess, Speaker AmasonKingi will issue a formal statement to confirm Senator Orwoba’s status, as per the High Court ruling.
The suspension is a significant blow to the Senator, as she will lose substantial perks, including personal benefits and opportunities for local and international travel.
In his ruling, High Court Judge Lawrence Mugambi noted that Orwoba had declined to appear before the Powers and Privileges Committee—an internal disciplinary body—before seeking intervention from the courts.
“The Petitioner was provided with the opportunity to appear and state her case, presumably raising all manner of preliminary issues before the Powers and Privileges Committee. However, she opted not to participate and walked out on the committee,” the judge ruled.
“Having voluntarily refused to participate, I find that there was no infringement of her right to fair administrative action or her right to a fair hearing in this case. I thus dismiss this Petition/Judicial Review Application with costs to the Respondents,” he added.
Justice Mugambi emphasized that Senator Orwoba’s decision to decline participation in the committee’s inquiry undermined her claim to a fair hearing.
“That, to me, is the bottom line—not that the Powers and Privileges Committee refused to provide her with the material needed to participate in the inquiry. When she appeared on the 7th and 9th, that was the position she took before walking out on the committee,” Mugambi stated.
Orwoba had previously obtained interim orders halting her suspension after filing an application in court, claiming that the committee lacked jurisdiction to investigate allegations about her conduct.
In 2023, the Senate Powers and Privileges Committee accused Orwoba of disrespecting fellow Senators by publishing disparaging information, imputing improper motives on colleagues, and making unsubstantiated allegations of sexual favors involving some parliamentary staff.
A report tabled in the House recommended Orwoba’s suspension for breaching House rules.
“Based on the above findings, and having reviewed the sanctions provided for in section 17(3) of the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act, 2017, as well as practices in other jurisdictions, the Committee finds that Sen. Gloria Orwoba MP’s conduct was in breach of privilege,” the report read in part.
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