- On Wednesday, the House adopted the Powers and Privileges Committee report tabled on August 10 which recommended Orwoba’s suspension.
- However, Orwoba refuted claims that she was invited to appear before the committee to defend herself.
Image: FILE
Former UDA vice chairman Kipruto Arap Kirwa has defended nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba following her suspension from Parliament for six months.
Speaking in an interview with KTN, Kirwa termed the punishment as a way of destroying the career of the Senator.
“Unfortunately, we can destroy the career of such a young person while she might have made a mistake,” Kirwa said.
He said the punishment could have been lessened instead of subjecting the Senator to such a harsh sanction.
“Many of us have made mistakes in the past but at times, the punishment should be measured in a way that it becomes a deterrent but it doesn’t become a destroyer of a career of a young person,” Kirwa said.
“Given the suspension of six months, I hope that there will be a long recess for the Senate so that the lady does not have to lose the seat but also she will have learnt from her own mistake.”
On Wednesday, the House adopted the Powers and Privileges Committee report tabled on August 10 which recommended Orwoba’s suspension for failing to appear before it to substantiate claims she made against her colleagues on corruption and sexual harassment.
Majority of the members in the House voted, upholding the decision to suspend her.
In a video message Wednesday, Orwoba refuted claims that she was invited to appear before the committee to defend herself.
She questioned why the motion to debate her conduct was moved on a day the House knew she was absent.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna said Orwoba is guilty as charged since she threw away the opportunity to set the record straight and absolve herself from blame.
"Senator Gloria having made those allegations, she had a responsibility to substantiate those allegations before the committee, she elected not to appear before that committee or to tender any evidence," Sifuna said.
"Those allegations remain unsubstantiated and therefore the punishment that has been proposed by the committee is something that I'm willing to support and I hereby support."