Drama as Gloria Orwoba blocked from Senate after tribunal lifted her expulsion
The former legislator shouted at security officers present daring them to arrest her
Drama was witnessed outside the Senate after a former nominated senator Gloria Orwoba was denied entry into the building to court orders issued by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) directing her reinstatement.
While shouting at the security guards at the entrance, Orwoba claimed to have legally resumed her duties as a senator as she accused them of acting on ‘orders from above.’
“You have been given orders from above, right? I have come to work and I am not going home. I will only go home when you close the Senate,” the former legislator shouted at security officers present daring them to arrest her.
Orwoba confronted a female security officer, insisting she was ready to be taken in.
The incident came after the PPDT nullified her expulsion from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
Last week, the tribunal, which is chaired by Desma Nungo, ruled that the party’s disciplinary process was marred by procedural lapses that breached fairness and natural justice.
“There was no fair opportunity for hearing, and the complainant was not furnished with the impugned decision,” the tribunal ruled.
It further noted that key documents, including the complaint letter, were unsigned and undated, while there was no evidence that the expulsion decision was served to her.
The PPDT found that the irregularities stripped UDA’s disciplinary process of legality.
The former nominated senator, who was expelled over alleged disloyalty claims for turning up at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to welcome former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i on his return from the United Stated but which she dismissed as politically motivated, maintains she remains the sitting nominated senator until the courts decide otherwise.
UDA, however, insists the expulsion was valid and argued before the tribunal that the matter was sub judice due to a pending High Court petition filed by Orwoba.
The tribunal dismissed this claim, saying no parallel proceedings were active.
Last week, Consolata Wakwabubi was sworn in, sealing the vacancy that had been left by Orwoba.
