Mulembe Times | July 15, 2025
Former nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba has been ordered to pay a total of Ksh.10.5 million in damages to Senate Clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye for defamation. This follows a ruling by Milimani Commercial Court Magistrate Ruguru Ngotho, who found that Orwoba’s social media posts accusing the senior parliamentary official of sexual harassment were defamatory, malicious, and unsupported by evidence.
In a judgment delivered on Monday, the court held that Orwoba’s posts, published across her WhatsApp status, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter) accounts, were not protected under parliamentary privilege as she had claimed. Magistrate Ngotho determined that Orwoba had knowingly posted unsubstantiated claims with the intent to damage Nyegenye’s character and public reputation.
“It is clear that even before making her statements, the Defendant was aware that she could not substantiate the allegations,” the court observed. “The intention of publishing the statements on social media was not to seek justice for any sexual harassment, but to spite and disparage the Plaintiff.”
The lawsuit, filed in September 2023, stemmed from a series of posts, videos, and audio clips disseminated by Orwoba and shared widely by others. Nyegenye testified that the fallout from the defamatory campaign had taken a toll on his professional image, career trajectory, and family life, leading to public ridicule and personal distress.
The court awarded Nyegenye the following:
- Ksh.8 million in general damages for defamation
- Ksh.2.5 million in exemplary and aggravated damages due to the malicious nature of the posts
- An additional Ksh.1 million as default damages if Orwoba fails to issue a public apology within 30 days
In a rare move, the court mandated a public apology, stating that the apology must be:
- Published on the same social media platforms where the original defamatory posts appeared (WhatsApp, Facebook, and X)
- Printed in a national newspaper
- Approved by Nyegenye before publication
Should Orwoba fail to comply within the specified window, the Ksh.1 million penalty will begin to accrue interest, alongside the other amounts awarded.
Additionally, the court issued a permanent injunction, barring Orwoba and her associates from ever publishing or circulating any defamatory material about Nyegenye again.
Magistrate Ngotho was critical of Orwoba’s conduct throughout the legal process, noting that her attitude appeared dismissive and her actions seemed intended to prolong the litigation unnecessarily.
“The conduct of the Defendant has been casual, aimed at protracting this litigation and failing to comply with the court’s directions,” she remarked, justifying the aggravated damages imposed.
The ruling sends a strong message regarding the limits of social media expression, especially by public figures, and affirms that false accusations, even in informal digital spaces, can lead to significant legal consequences.
The case also reignites broader public debate around defamation, due process, and gendered power dynamics in Kenyan politics and public institutions.
As of the time of publishing, neither Gloria Orwoba nor her legal representatives had issued a public statement regarding the ruling.
