Gloria Orwoba

Gloria Orwoba (born 25 May 1986) is a former Kenyan UDA politician who has served as a nominated Senator representing women in the Senate of Kenya since 2022.

Early life and education Orwoba and her three sisters were born on 25 May 1986 in Kisii County, and raised in Nairobi by a single father. Her father was a civil servant and raised his children near the Yaya Centre in the Hurlingham neighbourhood. She attended St. George's Girls' Secondary School in Kilimani before gaining a diploma in architecture from the University of Nairobi; she subsequently obtained a degree in social work and is currently pursuing a degree in leadership and management. In 2015, she moved to Sweden with her family, and subsequently managed a Facebook data centre in Denmark.

Political career In 2017, Orwoba briefly returned to Kenya in order to run for the Kisii County Executive for the Youth; she was ultimately unsuccessful. As Senator, Orwoba has become an advocate for the rights of women, and has called on the government to do more to respond to the issue of period poverty in Kenya. She has blamed patriarchal power systems in Kenya and a lack of knowledge among men about menstruation as exacerbating the issue of period poverty, citing the fact that condoms are available for free in the country while tampons are often expensive as evidence of this. She has cited the 2019 death of Jackline Chepngeno, a 14-year-old girl from Kabiangek in Bomet County who died of suicide after being period shamed by a teacher, as making her a period poverty activist and making her want to address the taboo around menstruation. In 2023, she tabled a motion calling on the Ministry of Public Service, Gender and Affirmative Action to provide free sanitary products for all schools in Kenya. In addition, she has also requested that all schools be equipped with the correct equipment to dispose of feminine hygiene products.

Reception for Orwoba's actions have been mixed, and there has been a debate as to whether the incident was an accident or a publicity stunt. Mutinda called Orwoba's presentation "indecent" and accused her of not being a good role model for women and girls.

Orwoba has stated she had adhered to the Senate's dress code, and called the staining an "accident" which she had used to raise a point about period poverty and stigma against menstruation in Kenyan society.

Personal life Orwoba has three children.