Why Gloria Orwoba Has Been Ordered To Pay Up To Ksh11 Million
The court also granted an injunction prohibiting Orwoba and her associates from making or sharing any further defamatory statements against the Senate Clerk.
Marvin Chege 
Former nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba has been ordered to pay Ksh10.5 million in damages to Senate Clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye after being found liable for defamation.
The ruling, delivered on Monday by Magistrate Ruguru Ngotho at the Milimani Commercial Court, found Orwoba guilty of publishing defamatory content across her WhatsApp stories, Facebook page, and X account, where she accused Nyegenye of sexual harassment.
The court ruled that her statements were made with malicious intent and were not protected under parliamentary privilege, as they were disseminated on personal social media platforms rather than in the course of parliamentary proceedings.
As a result, Nyegenye was awarded Ksh8 million in general damages and an additional Ksh2.5 million in exemplary and aggravated damages.
Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba. /PARLIAMENT KENYA
Additionally, the court directed Orwoba to issue a public apology within 30 days. Should she fail to comply, she will be liable to pay an extra Ksh1 million as default damages.
The court also granted an injunction prohibiting Orwoba and her associates from making or sharing any further defamatory statements against the Senate Clerk.
Orwoba's woes at the Senate are known. She was suspended from the House in September 2023 for the remainder of the second session of the 13th Parliament.
On September 20, the House adopted the Powers and Privileges Committee report tabled on August 10, which recommended her suspension for failing to appear before it to substantiate claims she made against her colleagues regarding corruption and sexual harassment. She, however, obtained a court order halting the Senate’s resolution, preventing her from serving any part of the suspension.
In September 2023, the Committee on Powers and Privileges recommended her suspension following allegations that the Senate clerk had assaulted her. However, she challenged the decision in court and secured an order blocking its enforcement.
The former nominated Senator’s troubles began in 2023, when she published allegations on her Facebook page accusing the Senate Clerk of retaliating against her after she rejected his sexual advances.
“Clerk of the Senate Jeremiah Nyegenye solicited sexual favours from me… and once I refused… the retaliation began," Orwoba said in the explosive comments.
What followed was a legal battle, with Nyegenye, through his lawyers, demanding that Orwoba withdraw her claims. She was later barred from issuing any further defamatory remarks against the Senate Clerk.
In its ruling, the court determined that Orwoba had not provided evidence to support her accusations, effectively categorising the matter as a case of libel.
“It was incumbent upon her to go the extra mile to justify her statements. She did not," the magistrate observed.
A photo of Parliament buildings in Nairobi. /MARVIN CHEGE.VIRAL TEA KE
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