The Nairobian claims that Gloria Orwoba, the senator from Kenya who was nominated, has confirmed her relationship with former Ghanaian President John Kufuor. Orwoba is well-known for her strong support of menstruation health and her fearless stand against social taboos. The announcement comes amid a flurry of media rumors that were sparked by a video that purported to show Kufuor stroking Orwoba's growing baby belly, which raised questions about the child's father. Orwoba has lately stepped away from the public eye after garnering national recognition in 2023 for challenging the taboo associated with menstruation by attending Parliament in a blood-stained suit. More public attention was generated when she reappeared, clearly pregnant, at the impeachment proceedings of Kenyan Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. Rumors about their relationship began when a video of Kufuor lovingly caressing her baby bulge went viral online.
Orwoba confronted the rumors head-on in an exclusive interview with The Nairobian, saying, "there is the former President, and there is me in the video.We don't talk about our private life. She also denied online rumors about the child's father and acknowledged the birth of her child, although she objected to the overwhelming media attention given to her private life.She strongly denounced the violation of her privacy, especially the way the media covered her connection with Kufuor, in a statement released on December 20, 2024."I have continuously opposed patriarchal structures and have faced verbal and physical abuse for the whole of my career.But this unjustified intrusion into my personal life, especially in relation to a purported affair with H.E. John Kufuor, is quite disheartening," she stated in the statement.
Orwoba has supported Ghana despite the scandals surrounding her personal life; she recently congratulated former President John Mahama on winning the 2024 elections. Given his leadership during his president, Kufuor, who has mostly avoided the spotlight since his wife's death in 2023, is still regarded as a respected individual.