Nairobi — Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba has been suspended from the Senate for a period of six months after she defied the summons of the Power and Privileges committee to face charges brought against her.
Orwoba was accused of making unsubstantiated allegations concerning sexual harassment and reports on corruption on social media platform and press conferences without substatiating them.
The Nominated Senator was summoned before the disciplinary committee chaired by Speaker Amason Kingi but ignored it prompting the team to institute the disciplinary proceedings.
"Having accorded Sen Gloria Orwoba an opportunity to be heard, the senator declined to participate in the inquiry by the committee on powers and privileges and hence the committee found the charges to stand," the report stated.
"The committee considered the evidence before it on this charge and given that there was no evidence to the contrary to refute the charge, the charge was therefore confirmed," tit went on to state.
Orwoba was accused of disparaging Senators by make wild allegations against senators through publishing information that tainted her colleagues surrounding sexual harassment and graft.
The Senate committee has now recommended the controversial nominated Senator be denied hefty perks and allowances during her six months suspension and also be barred from accessing precincts of Parliament.
"Pursuant to section 17(3) g, of the parliamentary powers and privileges act 2017, the senator to be suspended from the house for the remainder of the second session of the thirteenth parliament," the report stated.
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Senate majority leader Aaron Cheruiyot termed the issue as an embarrassment advising her to solve the issue out of the public domain saying it's a shame to wash dirty linen in public.
"This is really embarrassing to us as a house. We are trying to see how to put our heads together what can we do to cover ourselves. Let us not reduce this to a party issue," said Cheruiyot."
"I call on the collective wisdom of the House. Orwoba might be right or she might be wrong. The person who is the respondent in the allegations is the Clerk of the house. There can never be a winner and a loser in this house. We will look so dirty eventually. We should not wash our dirty linen in public," he added.
Nyamira Senator Okong'o Omogeni however defended Orwoba arguing that the recommendation made against her is unreasonable and excessive.
"You should never respond to a mosquito with a hammer. That is what we have done today. I do not agree with certain conducts of Senator Gloria. I don't agree and many times have reached out to her to have a word with her as an elder. We all mistakes, but we must walk along with each other," said Omogeni.
Nyeri Senator Wahome Wamatinga faulted Orwoba's conduct on her allegations saying action must be taken to ensure that the standards of the house are upheld in such conducts.
"We should have other channels of addressing issues. Let us embrace collegiality. We should have the moral obligation to protect the image of this House," he said.
