Drama ensued along Parliament Road when former nominated senator Gloria Orwoba was denied access to the Senate premises despite presenting court orders for her reinstatement.
Security personnel were seen blocking Orwoba from entering the building as she tried to challenge the officers to arrest her, insisting she had a legal right to be there.
Orwoba stated that the court had reinstated her to her position and claimed that efforts by the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) to prevent her return to the Senate had been unsuccessful.
“I am here to go back to work as per the court’s instructions and judgements that came out, in fact, I have my badge and everything…I am just coming to work,” she said.
According to Orwoba, she is the sitting nominated senator for UDA until the courts ruled otherwise.
On August 20, the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) nullified the expulsion of former nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), citing procedural lapses in the disciplinary proceedings—procedural lapses that breached fundamental principles of fairness.
In its judgment, the tribunal chaired by Desma Nungo found that UDA’s disciplinary process violated the principles of natural justice and due process.
“There was no fair opportunity for hearing, and the complainant was not furnished with the impugned decision,” the tribunal ruled.
They noted that key documents, including the complaint dated May 8, were unsigned and undated, while no proof was provided that the decision to expel her was ever served.
These irregularities, it said, stripped the process of legality and fairness.
The tribunal’s findings directly challenged the disciplinary committee’s handling of the matter.
Orwoba had been expelled from the party earlier over allegations of disloyalty, claims she dismissed as politically motivated.
UDA maintained that the expulsion was justified and argued before the tribunal that the case was sub judice due to a High Court petition filed earlier by Orwoba.
However, the tribunal dismissed this argument, stating that no current parallel proceedings were ongoing.
