Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba first caught the public’s attention when she wore a white suit stained with blood to parliament in a campaign to fight stigma surrounding menstruation.
Her dedication to menstrual health education saw her featured on billboards, promoting the importance of supporting young girls during their periods.
But for a time, the senator maintained a low profile, only to resurface in dramatic fashion during Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment hearing. Photos circulated widely showing a heavily pregnant Orwoba greeting Gachagua, who appeared delighted at her condition.
And like wildfire, her photos created a buzz on various platforms with many trying to guess who could be the father of her child.
The intrigue deepened when a video emerged of former Ghanaian President John Kufuor gently touching Orwoba’s baby bump, fuelling further rumours about a possible relationship between the two.
The Nairobian has now established that indeed, Senator Orwoba and the former President Kufour are not strangers and that they have a thing.
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Orwoba confirmed that she is in a relationship with the retired Ghanaian President. According to the Senator, they agreed to keep their affair under wraps.
“That is me in the video and that is the former President, we don’t discuss our personal lives,” Orwoba responded when asked if she is dating Kufuor and if the VIP is the biological father of the child
Orwoba who sounded cheerful, however, said there was no need of talking much about her private life.
“In that video, the former President was blessing the baby...in fact you can hear the child is crying on the background,” she added.
Addressing speculations
The senator on December 5, 2024, shared news about the arrival of her child while in the company of Winnie Odinga, daughter of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga when some netizens started hinting Kufuor might have been the man responsible for her pregnancy.
She hit back at her followers describing them as ‘DCI’ trying to guess the father of her baby, a post that drew more responses.
Notably, the senator has been demonstrating her strong connection with the west African nation, including through a Facebook post on December 8, 2024 congratulating John Mahama for his reelection.
Orwoba posted: “Ghana’s former President John Dramani Mahama has staged a political comeback by winning the West African nation’s presidential elections after his rival Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia conceded defeat on December 8th.”
Meanwhile, Kufour has been off the limelight since the passing of his wife Theresa Kufour on October 1st, 2023 with the couple having been married for more than five decades.
Kufuor now in his mid-80s, served as President of Ghana from January 7, 2001 to January 7, 2009.
Orwoba is no stranger to controversy. Apart from arriving in parliament in blood stained clothes on February 14, 2023, she also faced suspension from the Senate after being accused of making unsubstantiated allegations of sexual favours within parliamentary circles. She also claimed discrimination in parliament through messages posted on a Senate WhatsApp group.
Disrespectful to colleagues
The Powers and Privileges Committee, chaired by Speaker Amason Kingi, recommended her six-month suspension, which was adopted by a majority vote. Critics argued that Orwoba’s behaviour was disrespectful to her colleagues and contrary to parliamentary decorum.
Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi supported the motion, emphasising the need for senators to uphold the conduct of previous parliaments. He cited Orwoba’s accusations against Senate Clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye as an example of inappropriate behaviour. However, Orwoba found reprieve in the courts.
Stopped suspension
Osotsi said that he sat in the same committee with Orwoba where the nominated Senator claimed members wanted to kill her Bill after which she was advised to align her technopolis Bill.
“We have also seen the manner she has subjected the Senate Clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye who is very professional in his conduct and deserves respect with his illustrious career in the Senate,” said Osotsi.
Days later, the High Court in Machakos temporarily stopped her suspension. Justice Rayola Olel while issuing the orders granted Orwoba leave to file a substantive Notice of Motion within 14 days and serve the Attorney General, Clerk of the Senate, Speaker of the Senate, the Senate Committee on Power and Privileges, and the Senate.