Babu Owino Declares Nairobi Gubernatorial Bid, Prepared To Run As Independent

Embakasi East Member of Parliament, Babu Owino, has boldly declared his intention to contest the Nairobi governorship in the 2027 General Election, affirming he will do so regardless of whether he secures an endorsement from his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party.

Owino, who has emerged as one of the leading contenders challenging the re-election of incumbent Governor Johnson Sakaja, acknowledged that his party might withhold its backing due to his vocal opposition to the broad-based government. The vocal MP, who has significantly ramped up his criticism of Governor Sakaja in recent weeks, expressed strong confidence in clinching the gubernatorial seat, stating he was “overqualified for the role.”

Owino maintained that he is prepared to contest for the seat as an independent candidate if necessary, asserting that the capital city is in dire need of a fundamental change in leadership and governance.

“I know ODM may not give me the ticket because Johnson Sakaja was endorsed in the Bomas of Kenya,” Owino noted in a past interview, referencing a previous political understanding. He further clarified his stance: “I am criticising the broad-based government because it is the right thing to do. As a leader, I cannot see wrong and support it in a public forum, not even in private.”

The MP linked his candidature to his proven merit, highlighting his track record dating back to his influential days as a student leader at the Student Organisation of Nairobi University (SONU). He was first elected to Parliament in 2017 on an ODM ticket and is currently serving his second consecutive term as the Embakasi East MP.

Owino did not hold back in his critique of Governor Sakaja, citing various issues such as pervasive poor drainage, alleged financial mismanagement, and what he termed as the Governor’s demonstrably poor leadership. He also referenced previous instances of chaos and anarchy in the capital during protests, accusing Sakaja of running a county “governed in disregard of the rule of law.” Furthermore, he accused the Governor of failing to implement key oversight recommendations, specifically mentioning the delayed publication of an ad hoc committee report on the revenue system, and a year-long failure to address declining revenue collections.