Gloria Orwoba (born 25 May 1975) is a Kenyan politician who currently serves as a nominated Senator representing women in the Senate of Kenya since 2022. In 2023, she received international press attention when she was asked to leave the Senate chamber due to an apparent blood stain on her trousers caused by menstruation. Early life and career Orwoba and her three sisters were born and raised in Nairobi by a single father originally from Kisii County. Her father was a civil servant and raised his children near the Yaya Centre in the Hurlingham neighbourhood. She attended St. George's Girls' Secondary School in Kilimani before gaining a diploma in architecture from the University of Nairobi. In 2015, she moved to Sweden with her family, and subsequently managed a Facebook data centre in Denmark. Political career In 2017, Orwoba briefly returned to Kenya in order to run for the Kisii County Executive for the Youth; she was ultimately unsuccessful. In 2019, she moved back to Kenya permanently and stated her intention to run as the United Democratic Alliance candidate for the Bobasi constituency in Kisii County. She subsequently lost the primary to a male candidate whom she accused of corruption. Orwoba began work as a community worker and initiated the Uji Ya Glo Nutrition programme, which provided a cup of porridge and two slices of bread each school day at thirteen primary schools within Bobasi. As a member of the UDA, she has been an outspoken supporter of William Ruto, the party's candidate in the 2022 Kenyan general election, praising his focus on inclusion and empowerment for all groups within Kenya; she supported his ultimately successful presidential campaign. Orwoba was chosen to be a nominated Senator in 2022 representing women, in accordance with the Senate having additional Senators representing women, young people, and people with disabilities. As Senator, Orwoba has become an advocate for the rights of women, and has called on the Kenyan government to do more to respond to the issue of period poverty in the country. She has blamed patriarchal power systems in Kenya and a lack of knowledge around men regarding menstruation as exacerbating the issue, citing the fact that condoms are available for free in the country while tampons are often expensive. She has cited the 2019 death of Jackline Chepngeno, a 14-year-old girl from Kabiangek in Bomet County who committed suicide after being period shamed