What many thought was just a light and funny moment between President William Ruto and former nominated senator Gloria Orwoba has now turned into something more serious and controversial.
The moment, which was caught on video and widely shared online, showed Ruto pinching Orwoba in what many assumed was playful.
But according to Orwoba, it was far from a joke. Speaking on the Iko Nini Podcast, Orwoba explained that the pinch was actually a form of public discipline by the President.
She said the tension began after she criticised some of Ruto’s close allies in a Senate WhatsApp group.
One of those she confronted was MP Kimani Kuria. Orwoba accused him of hiding important information related to government tax plans. Her boldness caused a stir in the group and apparently reached the President.
According to Orwoba, President Ruto later came to her and warned her that she was being too aggressive with his allies.
She did not back down and told him that MPs should be free to do their oversight duties without fear. That’s when Ruto pinched her for the first time.
She ignored it. But when she stood her ground again, he pinched her a second time, harder and in front of others.
This second pinch was captured on video and went viral, but most people thought it was friendly or teasing.
Orwoba has now said it was not friendly at all, but a clear attempt to show dominance and silence her.
Despite public misunderstanding of the moment, Orwoba says she will not apologise for speaking out.
She believes she was doing the right thing by pushing for honesty and transparency in government decisions. She says her aim was to defend the public from hidden interests in policymaking and will continue to do so even when it means going against powerful people.
Her story has now started a bigger conversation about how leaders handle criticism within their own circles.
It raises concerns about whether informal actions like a pinch can be used to quietly control outspoken members without directly punishing them.
It also shows how power can sometimes be displayed in ways that seem harmless on the outside but carry deeper meaning behind closed doors.
