Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba faces suspension from the Senate for six months after she defied the Power and Privileges Committee summons to face charges brought against her.
Orwoba was accused of making unsupported claims of sexual harassment and reports of corruption on social media platforms and during news conferences.
The Nominated Senator was asked to appear before Speaker Amason Kingi-led disciplinary committee, but he refused, leading the group to start the disciplinary process.
“Having accorded Sen Gloria Orwoba an opportunity to be heard, the senator declined to participate in the inquiry by the committee on powers and privileges and hence the committee found the charges to stand,” the report stated.
“The committee considered the evidence before it on this charge, and given that there was no evidence to the contrary to refute the charge, the charge was therefore confirmed,” read part of the report.
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Orwoba was accused of defaming senators by disclosing information that damaged her colleagues' reputations on sexual harassment and corruption.
The controversial senator's nomination committee has now suggested that she be denied sizable benefits and allowances during her six-month suspension and forbidden from entering Parliament buildings.
“Pursuant to section 17(3) g, of the parliamentary powers and privileges act 2017, the senator to be suspended from the house for the remainder of the second session of the thirteenth parliament,” the report stated.
Senate majority leader Aaron Cheruiyot called the issue an embarrassment advising her to solve it out of the public domain, saying it’s a shame to wash dirty linen in public.
“This is embarrassing to us as a house. We are trying to see how to put our heads together what can we do to cover ourselves. Let us not reduce this to a party issue,” said Cheruiyot.“
“I call on the collective wisdom of the House. Orwoba might be right or she might be wrong. The person who is the respondent in the allegations is the Clerk of the house. There can never be a winner and a loser in this house. We will look so dirty eventually. We should not wash our dirty linen in public,” he added.
However, Nyamira Senator Okong’o Omogeni defended Orwoba, arguing that the recommendation made against her is unreasonable and excessive.
“You should never respond to a mosquito with a hammer. That is what we have done today. I do not agree with certain conducts of Senator Gloria. I don’t agree and many times have reached out to her to have a word with her as an elder. We all mistakes, but we must walk along with each other,” said Omogeni.
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