Gloria Orwoba: ‘I must challenge ruling that gags free speech in Parliament’

NAIROBI, Kenya

Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba has said she will challenge a High Court ruling that ordered her to pay Sh10.5 million in a defamation case filed by Senate Clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye.

The Court ruled that certain public remarks made by the senator in 2023 amounted to defamation and awarded damages to the Clerk, citing reputational harm.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Senator Orwoba said her legal team had already filed an appeal and expressed concern that the ruling could have broader implications for freedom of expression within Parliament, especially when it comes to raising allegations of misconduct.

“Even the Sh10 million is excessive. It sends a message that could discourage members of Parliament--especially women--from speaking up,” she said.

While the Court found her remarks defamatory, the senator maintained that her statements were based on her own experience and were meant to spotlight what she described as broader institutional challenges.

Ms Orwoba first raised the matter on the floor of the Senate last year, alleging that she had encountered barriers in advancing her legislative agenda.

She has consistently stated that her intention was to encourage open discussion about the treatment of women in public office and to push for structural reforms.

The senator also expressed dissatisfaction with the disciplinary process that followed her remarks in Parliament.

She says  she was not given the opportunity to respond in person before a decision was reached. She argued that her absence from the House at the time of the debate undermined her right of reply.

“Automatically, my 20 minutes to speak was lost,” she said.

Orwoba also noted that her earlier apology to the House was mischaracterised and raised concerns about how some elements of that apology were later interpreted in court proceedings.

Despite the court ruling and a previous suspension from Senate sittings, the senator affirmed her commitment to advocacy, particularly around gender issues in leadership spaces.

“If this was meant to intimidate or silence me, I’m afraid it will not work,” she said. “I will continue speaking up—and I urge others, especially women, to do the same.”

Senator Orwoba’s appeal is expected to be heard in the coming months.

Neither the Senate Clerk nor his legal representatives had issued a statement by the time of publishing.