Gloria Orwoba loses Senate seat as Kingi declares vacancy

Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba has lost her seat following her expulsion by the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

This is after Senate Speaker Amason Kingi issued a notice in the official Kenya Gazzette declaring the seat vacant.

“It is notified for the general information of the public that pursuant to Article 101 (2) of the Constitution of Kenya, a seat of the Member of the Senate elected under Article 98 (1) (b) of the Constitution, held by Senator Gloria Orwoba, has become vacant with effect from the 21st May, 2025,” Kingi said in the notice.

The move came a day after High Court Judge Lawrence Mugambi declined to quash the decision by UDA to expel her, saying her application was incompetent, citing procedural irregularities.

UDA’s National Executive Committee (NEC) on Monday unanimously approved the expulsion following a recommendation by the party’s Disciplinary Committee, which found her guilty of several counts of misconduct, including making public statements that harmed the party’s image and repeatedly failing to respond to disciplinary charges.

She had been summoned to answer to charges relating to her presence at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to welcome former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i when he returned from the United States last month and criticism of the government’s labour migration programme.

The ruling party has nominated Consolata Wabwire Wakwabubi, who hails from Kimilili in Bungoma, to replace her.

Orwoba had initially secured a court order stopping UDA from proceeding with the disciplinary process even as she declared she remained loyal to President William Ruto and that he presence at JKIA was not political but an expression of culture, where community members engage in social ceremonies without bias.

The now former senator, who has declared her interest in the Bobasi constituency seat in the next elections, has, however, said she remains undeterred in her political pursuits, while asking her supporters to remain calm.

“Asante for those encouraging messages from the thousands of followers and supporters. Worry not, some of us didn’t join politics to make money, those characters are the ones conning Kenyans Chap Chap with Fake Diaspora Jobs. I joined politics to be a positive change maker…and so far, so good. There is a reason hawa watu wanakimbia ma round mwenda na wasi wasi…mambo bado. Si bure watu wamenyamaza. Be patient. Na Siasa weka kwa lungs, otherwise utakufa bure uwache wanasiasa wakipiga siasa kwa matanga,” she wrote on her Facebook page earlier today.

Orwoba, at the same time, asked them to stop speculating and wait for her final word.