Senate Clerk Nyegenye Threatens To Sue Gloria Orwoba Over Sexual Harassment Claims

Clerk of the Senate James Nyegenye has threatened to sue nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba for defamation.

This comes hours after Senator Orwoba was suspended from the Parliament precincts for six months.

Through his lawyers, Nyegenye wants the lawmaker to retract her statements published on social media, and issue an apology by Friday, 5pm.

Failure to do so, then legal action against her will be taken.

“In the circumstances, we have instructions to require from you, which we hereby do, as a matter of urgency: The immediate cessation by yourself of the making and publication of the false and defamatory allegations against our Client; The immediate removal from all your media platforms and all interne websites and social media and other publicly accessible fora, all references to the defamatory and libellous publications by you in respect to our Client;”

“We look forward to hearing from you without delay. If we have not received a satisfactory reply from you by close of business on 22nd September 2023, our instructions are to proceed and file suit against you for defamation and libel at your own risk as to the expenses and costs which may be incurred.” Nyegenye’s demand letter dated September 21 reads in part.

Yesterday, Orwoba was suspended after the House adopted a report by the Powers and Privileges Committee of the Senate which made the decision after she failed to appear before it to defend herself against charges levelled against her.

The report was tabled for debate on Wednesday with the House, in a majority vote, upholding the decision to suspend her.

Orwoba faced several counts among them making unsubstantiated allegations that there were instances of pursuit of sexual favours in parliament by posting messages on the senate business Whatsapp group.

She was also accused of making allegations of favouritism and discrimination on the Senate Whatsapp group and during a press conference as well as unsubstantiated reports of corruption in the Senate.

Orwoba was summoned to the Powers and Privileges Committee, but according to the report she failed to appear and defend herself.

Orwoba was also accused of disrespecting fellow senators by publishing information that was disrespectful to her colleagues, imputing improper motive on fellow Senators, a charge that was also substantiated by the Senator failing to appear before the committee to defend herself.

On her part, she claims she was not given time to defend herself before the senate decided to suspend her, and that the suspension was out of retaliation over the sexual favours allegations that she made.

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