Rise and fall of Gloria Orwoba: President Ruto pinch, period shame advocate to senate expulsion

Gloria Magoma Orwoba's political journey has been anything but ordinary. From the moment she entered the Senate as a nominated member under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), she brought with her a mix of boldness, defiance, and controversy that would eventually define her career.

Her rise to the national stage came with her fiery advocacy against period shame, cementing her reputation as an unapologetic voice for women and girls.

Yet, just a few years later, the same defiance that had won her admiration became the cause of her political downfall, culminating in expulsion, legal battles, and a dramatic standoff at Parliament that ended with her arrest and her car towed away.

Orwoba's gained national attention on 26 June 2024, during a press conference when President William Ruto unexpectedly pinched her in a lighthearted but viral moment.

At the time, she was an active UDA senator, loyal to the ruling party. However, she later revealed the pinch was not simply playful but rather a reprimand for her sharp criticism of Ruto's allies in Senate discussions.

She disclosed that her questioning of Kimani Kuria, who had been tasked with overseeing Ruto's controversial tax plan, had angered the President.

"He was furious that I had insulted his ally in the WhatsApp group. Then he pinched me and told me I was being too tough on people," she later recounted.

That moment, once laughed off, came to symbolise the cracks forming between her and the party that had elevated her.

By May 2025, Orwoba's ties with UDA had snapped. The party expelled her over alleged disloyalty and accusations of promoting rival agendas.

She dismissed the claims as politically motivated, but the damage was already done. Though a court ruling temporarily halted her expulsion, it was clear her days in Senate were numbered.

Her troubles deepened when, on 15 July 2025, the Milimani Commercial Court ordered her to pay KSh 10.5 million for defaming Senate Clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye.

She had accused him on social media of making inappropriate sexual advances in exchange for favours, claims Magistrate Ruguru Ngotho ruled were unfounded and malicious.

In Senate, she pushed for tougher regulations on platforms such as X, TikTok, and Facebook, citing their role in spreading hate speech, misinformation, and cyberbullying.

Her call came as Kenya's youth increasingly turned to social media to mobilise for accountability and change, particularly during the Gen Z protests. Critics, however, accused her of walking a thin line between safeguarding victims and curtailing free speech.

One of the defining moments of Orwoba's tenure came in February 2023 when she was asked to leave Parliament over a visible blood stain on her white suit. Rather than shy away, she declared she was "walking the talk" in her fight against period shame.

Her bold stand sparked outrage and admiration in equal measure. While critics branded her actions disrespectful, she argued the incident highlighted the discrimination Kenyan girls face during menstruation. She later pushed for increased government funding for sanitary pads, positioning herself as a champion of women's rights.

On 20 August 2025, Consolota Wakhwabubi Nabwire was sworn in to replace Orwoba as a nominated senator. Orwoba, however, refused to go quietly. She rushed to court, seeking conservatory orders to quash the gazette notices that declared her seat vacant and her successor sworn in.

Her argument was that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and Senate had acted unlawfully and with procedural impropriety. Even after losing her seat, Orwoba insisted she remained the rightful senator until the courts ruled otherwise.

On 27 August 2025, the confrontation reached dramatic heights. Orwoba attempted to access Senate premises armed with court documents reinstating her to office. Security officers, acting on what she claimed were "orders from above", barred her from entry.

"Si mmepewa orders from above? Mimi nimekuja kazini. Siendi nyumbani! Nitaenda nyumbani mkifunga," she shouted defiantly, daring police to arrest her.

In another tense moment, she confronted a female officer, insisting she was ready to be taken in.

The standoff ended with her arrest and her car being towed away, a scene that symbolised the bitter end of her turbulent Senate journey.

Days earlier, the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) had nullified her expulsion from UDA, ruling that the party's disciplinary process was flawed and denied her a fair hearing.

Despite this small legal victory, UDA maintained that her ouster was valid, while the Senate moved ahead with her replacement.

Orwoba's story is one of meteoric rise and spectacular fall, a tale of defiance, advocacy, controversy, and political miscalculations.