Former nominated senator Gloria Orwoba has broken her silence after a tense confrontation with veteran broadcaster Fred Obachi Machoka during his 50th anniversary celebration, responding with a pointed message that has brought fresh attention to the viral incident.
Orwoba appeared to stand her ground after the veteran media personality confronted her over chants associated with the opposition slogan WANTAM during the celebrations held at Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi on Saturday, October 10, 2026.
Taking to social media the following morning, Orwoba appeared unbothered by the exchange, reminding Machoka of the political message behind the chants.
“Good Morning! Lazima nikumbushe Uncle mambo ni WANTAM!” she wrote.
Her statement, which translates roughly to “Good morning! I must remind Uncle that the message is WANTAM,” appeared to reinforce her position despite the uncomfortable moment captured in a video circulating online.
The response has drawn attention to the intersection of politics, family relationships and public entertainment, particularly because Machoka is popularly known as Uncle Fred and was celebrating a major milestone in his broadcasting career.
How the confrontation unfolded
The disagreement emerged during the Machoka @50 Grand Concert, an event organised to celebrate five decades of Machoka’s contribution to Kenya’s media industry.
In footage shared online, Machoka appeared visibly displeased as he called on security officers to remove a woman he was addressing during the incident.
“Please, security, toa huyu msichana hapa. Out,” he was heard saying.
The veteran broadcaster subsequently made it clear that he did not want the situation to interfere with his work.
“You cannot screw up my job,” Machoka stated.
He also appeared to direct a stern warning at Orwoba, telling her that she would have to follow his instructions when she was with him.
“Next time you are with your uncle, utajua hapa huna neno, utatii. Imagine you will go out,” he said.
The exchange created an unexpected moment of tension at an event that had otherwise brought together guests, musicians and prominent personalities to celebrate Machoka’s professional journey.
Although the footage captures the confrontation, it does not provide the full context of everything that happened before the exchange.
It is therefore unclear precisely what led to the disagreement or whether the two later discussed the incident privately.
Orwoba doubles down on the WANTAM message
Rather than letting the incident pass without comment, Orwoba’s subsequent social media message brought the political slogan back into focus.
Her words, “Lazima nikumbushe Uncle mambo ni WANTAM!” suggested that she was determined to keep the message alive even after the confrontation.
WANTAM has been used in Kenyan political discourse as shorthand for “Wantam,” commonly interpreted as “one term,” a slogan associated with opposition to President William Ruto serving a second term.
The slogan has gained visibility through political rallies, online discussions and public demonstrations, with supporters using it to communicate dissatisfaction with the current administration and their preferred direction for the country’s leadership.
Orwoba’s apparent participation in the chants at an entertainment event illustrates how political messaging can spill into settings that are not primarily organised around politics.
Her response, however, did not include a detailed explanation of the disagreement or a direct account of what happened immediately before Machoka called for security intervention.
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