Kenyan Lawmaker, Grace Orwoba
Gloria Grace Orwoba is a politician from Kenya who was elected to represent women in the Kenyan Senate in 2022. She was born on May 25, 1986. She made global headlines when the Senate President asked her to leave the chamber due to what seemed to be menstrual blood stains on her pants.
Grace and her three sisters were raised by a single father from Kisii County in Nairobi. Her father was a civil worker who raised his kids in the Hurlingham neighbourhood close to the Yaya Center. She attended St. George's Girls' Secondary School in Kilimani and then graduated from the University of Nairobi with a diploma in architecture, and a first degree in social work, and is currently pursuing a master's degree.
She and her family relocated to Sweden in 2015, after which she oversaw a Facebook data centre in Denmark. Grace temporarily visited Kenya again in 2017 to run for the Kisii County Executive for the Youth, but she ultimately lost. In 2019, she made a permanent return to Kenya and announced her intention to compete for the Bobasi constituency in Kisii County on the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket. She then fell short in the primary to a man she accused of corruption.
Initiating the Uji Ya Glo Nutrition program while working as a community worker, Grace gave a cup of porridge and two slices of bread to students at thirteen elementary schools each day.
She has openly endorsed William Ruto, the UDA's candidate for the general election in Kenya in 2022, applauding his emphasis on inclusiveness and empowerment for all communities there. She also supported his ultimately successful presidential campaign. Grace was picked to be a nominated senator in 2022 who will represent women in light of the Senate's need for more senators who will do the same for young people, people with disabilities, and women.
As a senator, Grace has taken a stand for women's rights and urged the Kenyan government to do more to address the problem of period poverty in the nation. She has attributed the problem to Kenya's patriarchal power structures and a lack of awareness about menstruation among men, pointing out that tampons are frequently pricey whereas condoms are freely available in the nation.
Jackline Chepngeno, a 14-year-old from Kabiangek in Bomet County who committed suicide in 2019 after being period shamed by a teacher, has been identified by the activist as the catalyst for her work to end period poverty and break the taboo surrounding menstruation. She submitted a resolution in 2023 requesting that all Kenyan schools receive free feminine hygiene supplies from the Ministry of Public Service, Gender, and Affirmative Action. She has also asked that the proper disposal equipment for feminine hygiene products be provided in all schools.
Grace wore white to the plenary meeting at the Parliament Buildings on February 14, 2023, with pants with a crimson stain in the groin area. Senator Tabitha Mutinda requested that Speaker Amason Kingi rule on whether Grace's presentation violated the Senate's dress code during the session. In the end, Kingi decided that Grace had to leave the chamber and come back dressed.
Senator Ledama ole Kinaon mentioned that Grace had faked menstruation to make a political statement, calling her "a shame to this house" in the process. Grace had been asked to leave the chamber, Kingi emphasized, for her to change her clothes, not because she was in the middle of her period.
Politicians and celebrities have lauded Grace. Grace's actions were described as "bold and provocative" by Johnson Sakaja, the governor of Nairobi City County, who also pledged to increase the accessibility of free sanitary pads throughout Nairobi. Grace received appreciation from Janet Mbugua for "reviving" the anti-poverty movement in Kenya. The discolouration was described by Grace as an "accident" that she had used to make a point about historical poverty and the Senate's dress code.
Menstruation is stigmatized in Kenyan culture. She visited a school in Nairobi shortly after the event and distributed period goods there. In response to claims that Grace faked her menstruation, the woman has defended herself. After the incident, Grace claimed she had been the victim of harassment on Twitter.