Former Law Society of Kenya President Faith Odhiambo has called for the Senate to take sterner action against nominated Senator Karen Nyamu over her remarks about a Grade 10 student that were inappropriate and degrading.
Odhiambo, who referred to Nyamu’s apology about the Grade 10 student who was undergoing her voluntary service scheme at the Senate as insincere, said the senator was forced to apologise over her comments.
The senator has received an avalanche of backlash and criticism from Kenyans over the sentiments.
In the statement posted on her X platform, former LSK President Faith Odhiambo termed the incident, which happened on March 25 this year, as an embarrassment regarding the Grade 10 student from Nairobi’s Braeburn Garden Estate International School.
The former LSK president said, “A young female student who went to Parliament under the School Voluntary Service Scheme to learn was met with inappropriate and degrading remarks from Senator Karen Nyamu. The Senate must be a safe space that affirms the dignity and future of our children.”
Odhiambo added that the remarks by the nominated senator amounted to harassment and subjected the child to psychological abuse.
She called on the Senate to go beyond accepting what she termed a theatrical apology and take concrete accountability measures against the senator. The former LSK boss said Senator Karen Nyamu still sought to justify her conduct even while purporting to apologise.
“An apology that is read and accepted in minutes is not justice. If we are serious about protecting the girl child, then our institutions must reflect that seriousness,” Odhiambo stated.
The UDA-nominated senator has been on the receiving end of the remarks she made one and a half months ago, when she welcomed a Grade 10 student who was in Parliament for a one-week School Voluntary Service Scheme.
During the afternoon session, Nyamu inappropriately called for clarity on what the student’s service was in Parliament, alleging ambiguity.
“Mr Speaker, probably you should have made it clear which service to the Senate she’s offering, because I saw Senator Cherargei getting very excited when he saw a lady, and yeah, it’s good to clarify it. You might think that she’s going to do you notes. You know, it’s good to specify which service she is going to offer the Senate, so welcome very much to the Senate,” Nyamu said.
The senator was forced to apologise on Tuesday this week, but her apology fell short of what was prescribed.
“I forthwith call upon the senator to tender the unreserved apology as earlier directed by the chair to the Senate, the student, the student’s family, and the public for the distress occasioned by her remarks in compliance with the communication that was issued earlier,” Veronica Maina, a member of the Speaker’s panel, said.
Nyamu, on her part, said, “Madam Speaker, this apology has been written for me to read, and parts of it constitute an admission to what I have been accused of, which cannot be further from the truth. I will go ahead and read my apology.”
“In the course of her welcoming remarks, Senator Nyamu made utterances that were disrespectful, inappropriate and fell short of the standards of decorum expected of the members of this House,” Senate Speaker Amason Kingi added.
The senator’s tone caused an intervention from the Speaker.
“Senator Karen Nyamu, I want to guide you. Once again, I give you a chance to tender an unqualified and unreserved apology in the terms that I have guided you. Senator Nyamu proceed to tender your apology,” Ms Maina said.
Nyamu, in response, said: “I hereby tender my unreserved apology to the Senate, the student under the School Volunteer Service Scheme, the family of the student, and the public for the remarks I made on Wednesday, 25th March. This is dated 2027, Nishafika 2027.”
And when she concluded, the senator still went back to try to defend her words.
“Madam Speaker, I was highly misunderstood, and I am very surprised…” Nyamu said.
Ms Maina responded, “Senator Karen, just leave it at that, you may have your seat now.”
