The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has gazetted Consolata Nabwire as the new nominated senator, officially ending Gloria Orwoba’s tenure in the Senate.
In a gazette notice issued on Friday, IEBC chairman Erastus Ethekon confirmed Nabwire’s nomination under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party, which sponsored Orwoba before expelling her earlier this year.
The move follows a ruling by the High Court in Nairobi that dismissed Orwoba’s petition challenging her expulsion. Justice Lawrence Mugambi noted that the matter was already before the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT), which was the proper forum to handle the case.
Orwoba’s troubles in UDA began in April when she was seen receiving former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). The party accused her of advancing the agenda of rival political formations and later expelled her on grounds of indiscipline.
She was summoned before the UDA disciplinary committee, which resolved to eject her, prompting the IEBC to declare her seat vacant. Although she initially obtained an injunction to block her replacement, the order was lifted, paving the way for Nabwire’s appointment.
The embattled politician’s year has been further complicated by a July court ruling that ordered her to pay KSh 10.5 million in damages to Senate Clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye for defamation. The court also directed her to issue a public apology over claims of sexual harassment she had posted online.
With her exit from the Senate now confirmed, Orwoba is said to be realigning politically. She has joined Matiang’i’s camp in the opposition and is reportedly eyeing the Bobasi parliamentary seat in the 2027 General Election, as Matiang’i himself positions for a presidential bid.
Nabwire will serve in the Senate until the 2027 polls.
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