Former United Democratic Alliance (UDA) nominated senator Gloria Orwoba has officially ceased to be a member of the Senate after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) confirmed her replacement through a gazette notice.
In a notice dated August 15, 2025, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon named Consolata Nabwire Wakwabubi as the new UDA nominated senator. Nabwire takes over the position that had been left vacant following Orwoba’s expulsion from the ruling party earlier this year. UDA nominated senator, Consolata Nabwire
The development brings to an end months of speculation over who would replace Orwoba, whose removal from the Senate was initiated in May after UDA’s top leadership accused her of breaching the party’s constitution and engaging in conduct deemed inconsistent with its values.
UDA Expulsion in May In May 2025, UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar announced that the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) had unanimously voted to expel Senator Orwoba. This followed recommendations from the party’s Disciplinary Committee, which had conducted a review of her actions.
“After a comprehensive review of the Disciplinary Committee’s report and in line with Article 29 of the UDA Constitution, the NEC found Senator Orwoba's actions incompatible with the values and objectives of the party,” Omar said in a statement dated May 19, 2025.
The party accused Orwoba of gross misconduct, which included making public remarks that it argued had the effect of tarnishing the image of the party. According to the UDA leadership, her conduct contravened the party’s code of conduct and constitution, prompting the decision to strip her of membership.
Failure to Respond to Disciplinary Summons Another key issue raised against Orwoba was her failure to personally engage with the Disciplinary Committee during the inquiry. The committee had reportedly sent her several invitations to appear and present her defense, but she declined to do so in person.
Instead, the party indicated that Orwoba opted to communicate through her legal representatives, a move the leadership said undermined internal dispute resolution mechanisms. UDA maintained that she had been given “ample opportunity” to defend herself but chose to stay away from the hearings.
“The party’s internal structures are designed to offer fair hearings and opportunities for defense. However, in this instance, despite repeated summons, Senator Orwoba chose not to attend personally and instead relied on external communication through her lawyers,” Omar explained at the time.
Following her failure to present herself before the committee and the NEC’s adoption of the disciplinary report, the party leadership resolved that her continued membership was no longer tenable.
Formal Communication to Authorities After finalizing its decision, UDA formally communicated the expulsion to both the Registrar of Political Parties and the Speaker of the Senate. This was meant to pave the way for the removal of Orwoba from her nominated seat in Parliament.
On May 21, 2025, Senate Speaker Amason Kingi officially declared a vacancy in the position previously held by Orwoba, setting in motion the replacement process. Under Kenyan law, when a nominated position falls vacant, the party that originally sponsored the member is responsible for presenting a replacement name to IEBC for gazettement.
IEBC Confirmation That process culminated in the IEBC gazette notice of August 15, which formally confirmed Consolata Nabwire Wakwabubi as Orwoba’s successor. With the gazettement, Nabwire is expected to be sworn in as a senator in the coming days and immediately take up her legislative duties in the Upper House.
The gazettement marks the conclusion of a series of disciplinary and administrative actions that began with Orwoba’s fallout with UDA earlier this year.
End of the Road for Orwoba in the Senate The expulsion and replacement effectively bring an end to Gloria Orwoba’s tenure in the Senate. She had been nominated to the Upper House by UDA as part of the party’s share of nominated seats following the 2022 General Election.
Her exit underscores the increasing firmness of political parties in enforcing internal discipline among their members, particularly within the ruling party, which has in recent months sought to consolidate loyalty and unity within its ranks.
For Orwoba, the process has been a steady progression from disciplinary hearings, to formal expulsion, to the eventual loss of her Senate seat. With the gazettement now issued, her chapter in the 13th Parliament is officially closed.
Meanwhile, all eyes will be on her successor Consolata Nabwire Wakwabubi as she prepares to take over the position. Nabwire will be expected to align with UDA’s agenda in the Senate and represent the party’s interests on national matters.
With the IEBC notice now public, the Upper House will move forward with a full roster, albeit without one of its most outspoken members in recent years.
