Embattled Senator Gloria Orwoba has lost her
position in the Senate after Speaker Amason Jeffah Kingi officially declared
her seat vacant.
In a Gazette Notice dated May 21, 2025, and
issued on the same day, Speaker Kingi announced the vacancy in accordance with
Article 101(2) of the Constitution, following the invocation of Article 98(1)(b),
which pertains to members elected to represent special interests.
“It is notified for the general information of
the public that pursuant to Article 101(2) of the Constitution of Kenya, a seat
of the Member of the Senate elected under Article 98(1)(b) of the Constitution,
held by Senator Gloria Orwoba, has become vacant with effect from the 21st May,
2025,” the notice reads.
The gazettement comes just a day after Justice
Lawrence Mugambi rejected Orwoba’s attempt to block her expulsion from the Senate,
citing procedural issues in her legal challenge.
The former nominated senator has been facing mounting pressure following disciplinary proceedings by her sponsoring party, which led to her expulsion over alleged misconduct.
Justice Lawrence Mugambi ruled that her application was incompetent, citing an amended petition without the court's approval.
"I have read the Notice of Motion application dated May 19, 2025, filed under certificate of urgency and the supporting affidavit Gloria Orwoba swore on May 19, 2025, and direct as follows.
"That it is apparent that the applicant has added new parties who are not in the original petition and without seeking the leave of this court to amend the petition. The Application is incompetent and is rejected. Previous directions are maintained," the Judge ruled.
In the initial petition, Orwoba had listed UDA and the Registrar of Political Parties as first and second respondents, respectively.
Orwoba was Monday expelled from the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party due to allegations of disloyalty and violation of the party’s Code of Conduct.
Her expulsion was specifically linked to her participation in the homecoming events for former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i, a key opposition figure and 2027 presidential hopeful.
UDA viewed her involvement in the events, along with her public criticism of government policies, as acts of disloyalty and a breach of party ideals.
The decision was arrived at by the party’s Disciplinary Committee after exhaustive deliberations and ratified by the UDA National Executive Committee on May 19, 2025.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries
Commission (IEBC) is now expected to begin the process of filling the vacancy
in line with electoral laws.
However, the electoral body is not fully constituted, a move that will derail the filling of the vacancy.
