NAIROBI, Kenya — Former nominated senator Gloria Orwoba has vowed to appeal a court ruling that ordered her to pay Sh10.5 million in damages to Senate Clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye over defamatory claims of sexual harassment.
Speaking shortly after the judgment was issued on Tuesday, Orwoba accused Parliament of covering up what she called a culture of “unchecked sexual harassment,” and claimed she had been sidelined in Senate after refusing advances from a senior official.
“There is sexual harassment in Parliament. Everyone who has worked there knows it, but they stay silent because of what happens when you speak up,” she said in a video posted online.
Gloria Orwoba speaking after she was ordered by the court to pay Senate Clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye Sh 10.5 million in damages after ruling that her sexual harassment claims against him were unproven.
Court: Claims Were Malicious and Unsubstantiated
The ruling, delivered by Magistrate Ruguru Ngotho at the Milimani Commercial Court, found Orwoba guilty of defaming Nyegenye through multiple social media posts made on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and WhatsApp.
“The words complained of were not uttered within the precincts of Parliament and cannot benefit from qualified privilege,” the magistrate ruled.
Nyegenye had filed the complaint in September 2023, citing reputational damage, career disruption, and emotional distress caused by the viral posts, which included audio and video recordings.
The court awarded him Sh8 million in general damages and Sh2.5 million in aggravated damages.
Additionally, the court issued a permanent injunction restraining Orwoba and her associates from further publishing or republishing the defamatory content.
She has been ordered to issue a public apology on her social media accounts and in a national newspaper within 30 days. Failure to comply will attract an extra Sh1 million in default damages.
Magistrate Ngotho said Orwoba had acted with malice and “a casual disregard for the judicial process,” noting that her goal appeared to be influencing public opinion rather than seeking legal redress.
“Her conduct must serve as a reminder that freedom of expression is not a license for character assassination,” the magistrate said.
Orwoba: No Independent Investigation Ever Conducted
In her video response, Orwoba maintained that no official body has ever investigated her harassment claims.
“No one has ever investigated the allegations. Not Parliament, not the PSC, not an independent institution,” she said. “Yet I was suspended, stripped of roles, and punished simply because I said no to someone.”
She claimed that her legislative work had been sabotaged, her travel privileges revoked, and her bills sidelined due to her refusal to engage in “sexual favors.”
Orwoba also criticized the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC), chaired by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, for ignoring her formal complaints.
“I wrote to the PSC, to the Speaker, even raised the matter in the Senate WhatsApp group. But I was met with silence and retaliation,” she said.
She further alleged that her forced apology in Parliament had been weaponized in the court case, and accused the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) of backing efforts to discredit her.
Orwoba called on the public to demand the release of official parliamentary travel records, suggesting that travel opportunities were being used to reward those who “play along” with certain individuals.
“Let Kenyans see who travels, with whom, and how often. You’ll find the same names appearing again and again. It’s not about merit—it’s about submission,” she alleged.
She also referenced viral incidents involving female politicians, including Sabina Chege, to highlight what she described as “the normalisation of misogyny in politics.”
“I know there’s a price to pay for speaking out, but I will not back down. I was raised not to exchange sexual favors for power or influence,” she declared.
Orwoba confirmed she is filing an appeal and said she remains committed to exposing what she termed as Parliament’s “toxic culture of silence and retaliation.”
