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In her efforts to push forward a bill that would provide free and unlimited feminine hygiene products to women, nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba walked to the Senate Chambers with a “blood” stained white suit pants to demonstrate the ordeal girls and women go through when experiencing their menstrual cycle causing drama.

Orwoba further gave a notice of motion on Free Sanitary towels to end the enduring period poverty, however, her actions caused uneasiness in the Senate and eventual expulsion.

Before she was kicked out, senators called her out on a point of order by fellow nominated Senator Tabitha Mutinda, who raised concerns about the dress code.

Tabitha claimed Orwoba was inappropriately dressed further stating that she was disturbed.

“I stand seeking guidance on the Speaker’s rule number 5 in regards to the dress code, and I need to seek advice if Senator Gloria is appropriately dressed for the House,” she said.

Adding;

“As a woman and a Senator, I find it very uncomfortable, very inappropriate, for our colleague Senator Gloria to step in and you don’t understand if she’s on the normal woman cycle or it is faking it, and it is so indecent. It disturbs me, as a woman, what we indicate out there to our younger generation that looks upon us on how we dress, as leaders, in this House. There is a better way to bring this out.”

Tabitha’s sentiments were echoed by Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua and his Narok counterpart Ledama ole Kina who stated that the senator would have covered herself after the mess due to her periods.

“We have wives and daughters, and they go through these cycles, but it’s a matter to be managed personally without exposing it to other people. What Senator Gloria has done to this House is a disgrace, it is a lot of shame to this House. This must not be allowed to happen,” Wambua noted.

Ole Kina opined that the senator was ‘picketing’ as she was not on her period but was presumably just putting on a show to put across a point.

“It is quite evident that the distinguished Senator is picketing. She’s not on her menstrual cycle, it is quite clear that what she’s trying to share with the rest of the world is that she’s picketing,” he said.

“We see this thing on social media and TikTok, we’re not blind or stupid. If a mature person realizes that they’re going through something which is, culturally, taboo to be discussed, she would’ve gone to the bathroom, covered herself, and even the other distinguished Senators who are from the female gender here would’ve given her something to wear.”

However, Senator Orwoba retaliated by criticising her colleagues saying menstruation is a natural process that should not carry shame.

She claimed she was being subjected to “period stigma”.

“I think I’m dressed as per the standing orders; I’m covered, I have a suit, I have collars, and I’m just short of a tie. I’m disappointed because the point of order that is being raised to try and attack an accident that is natural…I have stained my clothes…I just want to know, while we’re discussing this issue that is not even in the Order Paper, is it because Senators are not women who have periods? Because then maybe I shouldn’t be in this House,” she stated.

“This is the period stigma that is making our girls kill themselves, we have a girl who killed herself because of the same issue that I’m going through, and now I understand because it is the women who are trying to make this a crime. Because maybe it’s Valentine’s Day? Because maybe on Valentine’s Day, we’re not supposed to have our periods? I’m shocked that someone can stand here and say that the House has been disgraced because a woman has had her period?” she quipped.