Orwoba hits out at corruption in Parliament

Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba has renewed calls for accountability in Parliament, accusing some officials of misusing public funds while at the same time urging Kenyans to stop undermining women in leadership.

Speaking on Radio Generation’s People’s Breakfast Show, Orwoba said corruption remains a serious problem in the legislature, linking it directly to her impeachment earlier this year.

She alleged that vested interests, not integrity concerns, drove the attempts to push her out of office.

“There is corruption in Parliament, and that’s part of the reason I was targeted. The issue is conflict of interest and misuse of funds. Even the Senate clerk travels almost four times a month. That is something the EACC should be investigating,” she said, adding that she has names of individuals she believes ought to face scrutiny.

Her remarks came just weeks after President William Ruto admitted that Parliament was not immune to corruption, a statement that drew both support and criticism.

Orwoba echoed the president’s concerns, insisting that the public deserves to know how taxpayers’ money is being spent.

At the same time, the senator weighed in on the struggles women leaders continue to face in Kenya’s political space. She noted that the women representative position was created under affirmative action to bridge the gender gap in leadership, yet the role is still misunderstood by many.

“The Women Rep seat was supposed to run for one term to help women access leadership, but up to now, people still question whether women are fit to lead. That bias is unfair,” she said.

Orwoba praised women leaders for their record, pointing out that very few have been linked to corruption scandals compared to their male counterparts.

She argued that women have used what she described as “soft power” to uplift communities, deliver services, and influence change at the grassroots.

She also defended her bold style of politics, saying female politicians often have to push harder to be noticed in a male-dominated environment.

“Sometimes you have to be dramatic stand up, shout and even scream if that’s what it takes for women’s issues to be heard,” she remarked.

She credited her persistence for securing Sh 1 million from the president to buy sanitary pads for schoolgirls.

Looking ahead to the 2027 elections, Orwoba confirmed she will be on the ballot, though she did not disclose which political party she would seek to run under.

She maintained that her agenda would revolve around fighting corruption and defending the space for women leaders in governance.