Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba on Tuesday afternoon walked out of the Senate after declining to read the prescribed apology following her month-long suspension for breaching the Parliamentary Code of Conduct.
After serving her suspension, Speaker Amason Kingi deemed that Orwoba was required to read an apology prepared for her by the Senate plenary.
“In accordance with the resolutions passed on September 20, 2023, and February 26, 2025, Senator Orwoba is required to tender an apology to the Senate before being admitted to the Senate. She is required to read verbatim without any addition, omission or amendment. Additionally, the apology shall not be followed by any comment by the senator or any other senator,” Kingi stated.
The Senator proceeded to read out her own apology, which the Speaker declined, citing that it was not the one prescribed by the House.
“The Senate came up with the wording of the apology. It is not open to you to craft your apology,” Kingi told Orwoba.
In response, Orwoba claimed that the written apology was self-incriminating and would jeopardise her in an ongoing court case.
The lawmaker claimed that she was ready to face the consequences rather than place herself in a self-incriminating situation.
“I have apologised before and I have no problem doing so but we have an ongoing court case and I have been advised that the prescribed apology is self-incriminating and undermines my right to a fair process in the court proceedings,” she noted.
“I don’t know how else to appeal but I have sat out my suspension without pay. I have suffered the consequences of reporting the issue and continue to do so and I’m okay with that. I don’t understand in whose interest it is for a prescribed apology with a self-incriminating sentence that puts me in an issue. I appeal to my colleagues, I don’t know how to say it.”
Kingi provided her with an ultimatum to either read the prescribed apology or else walk out of the chambers and rethink the matter. Consequently, Orwoba declined to read the apology and opted to walk out of the chambers.
“Having heard your advice, noting that it is attached to my work, I stand by my dignity, I have no option but to walk away from my duties. As it stands, I continue to stand by my statements. It is truly unfair that an incriminating statement is put in the apology,” she added.
“This being the Upper House, I must say I am disappointed. I cannot trade my salary for something that has not been investigated. I can stay without my salary and the position. It is unfair that someone who reported a matter is been taken through this.”
In the ongoing court case, Orwoba alleged that she underwent harassment at the behest of the Clerk of the Senate.
She also claimed that he favoured other Senators in providing travel opportunities while denying her the same opportunities.
The respondents, however, accused Orwoba of breaching the Code of Conduct and cited that she had not used the right channels in airing out her grievances.
They cited that she exposed matters that touched on Senate business on her personal WhatsApp status.
A committee was set up to hold proceedings with the Senator on August 2023 but she declined to participate, citing that the sessions were biased. The Senate suspended her from attending the sittings beginning February 12, 2025, to March 13, 2025.
The matter was heard before Judge Lawrence Mugambi who ruled that her absence from the hearings weakened her case and upheld the suspension.
