Parliament, the supposed house of the people, is a hostile environment for mothers, former Senator Gloria Orwoba has charged in a blistering exposé of the legislature’s structural misogyny.

Orwoba’s revelation that breastfeeding rooms are relegated to distant buildings near toilets is a damning indictment of Kenya’s political architecture. It reveals a systemic exclusion where women must choose between their legislative duty and their biological reality. Speaking in a candid interview, the former nominated Senator painted a picture of a Parliament designed by men, for men, where the needs of pregnant and nursing lawmakers are treated as an inconvenient afterthought rather than a priority.

The Marathon for Milk

"Parliament was made for men," Orwoba declared, describing the absurd obstacle course a nursing MP must navigate. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-19)According to her, the designated breastfeeding room is not located within the main chambers but is situated three buildings away. "You leave the chamber, cross the road to a second building, then go to a third building. You have to run there, breastfeed your baby near a toilet, and then run back hoping you haven't missed your slot on the Order Paper," she explained.

This logistical nightmare effectively silences women. If a female MP leaves to attend to her infant, she risks missing crucial votes or debates. The message is clear: your voice matters, but only if you leave your motherhood at the door. Orwoba questioned how the country expects to achieve the two-thirds gender rule when the very seat of power is physically hostile to women’s maternal roles.

A Culture of Exclusion

The former Senator’s comments shine a light on the wider struggles of women in Kenyan politics. It is not just about physical infrastructure; it is about dignity. Placing a breastfeeding station next to a toilet is a sanitary hazard and a symbolic insult. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-21)It suggests that the act of nurturing a future citizen is dirty or shameful, something to be hidden away.

• The irony: Parliament passes laws on maternal health and employment rights, yet fails to implement basic standards within its own precincts.
• The psychological toll: Orwoba highlighted the stress and anxiety this environment places on new mothers, who are already dealing with the immense pressure of public office.
• The call to action: Her exposé is a rallying cry for a redesign of parliamentary spaces and protocols to be truly inclusive, ensuring that biology is not a barrier to leadership.

Gloria Orwoba may no longer sit in the Senate, but her voice continues to unsettle the status quo. Her testimony is a challenge to the Parliamentary Service Commission to walk the talk on gender equity. Until Parliament becomes a place where a woman can be both a mother and a lawmaker without sprinting across buildings, it remains, in spirit and structure, a boys' club.