The Member of Parliament for Embakasi East, Babu Owino, is a politician who deserves respect. In less than ten years as an MP, he has carved out his own identity separate from his party leader, Raila Odinga, positioning himself strategically for the upcoming 2027 elections.
It has been observed that Babu has been giving ODM leader Raila Odinga sleepless nights. Despite openly defying some of the party leader’s political directives, no disciplinary measures have been enforced against him. Mr Odinga is aware that Babu is the type of politician who cannot be easily intimidated.
The overwhelming support that Babu enjoys from the youth in Nairobi can only be likened to the strong backing that former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko enjoyed at his peak. Pundits have warned Mr Odinga against making the grave political mistake of ousting Babu from ODM, despite his continuous defiance towards Mr. Odinga’s directives. On his part, Mr. Odinga has chosen not to publicly lecture him; he understands the potential ramifications.
Immediately after the last general elections, Babu made a strong push to secure the position of chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. However, his ambitions were met with rejection. Sources reveal that it was only through the intervention of Odinga, who skilfully convinced him, that Babu eventually relinquished his claim to this powerful position.
Right after Raila’s declaration that Tim Wanyonyi, the Member of Parliament for Westlands, would be the ODM’s candidate for the Nairobi gubernatorial race in 2027, Babu wasted no time in announcing his own aspirations and has since been actively campaigning. It is important to underscore that Raila has not made any effort to stop Babu from campaigning against his preferred candidate.
Upon Raila’s declaration of his intention to run for the African Union Commission chairmanship, the possibility of a vacant position in the office of the ODM Party leader arose. Despite Raila’s endorsement of Wycliffe Oparanya and Ali Hassan Joho as potential successors, Babu boldly announced his own interest in pursuing the seat.
The big question now is why Babu has continued to defy Raila’s orders yet remains unpunished and untouchable. Analysing the 2027 Nairobi gubernatorial race may prove to be a complex affair yet experts believe Babu can spring a major surprise just like Sonko did.
The reality remains that Babu enjoys an overwhelming level of support from the youth and women voters, solidifying his position as a favoured candidate among these groups.
Babu’s backing is said to extend beyond political party allegiance, religious beliefs, and ethnic divisions. Analysts suggest that in a free, transparent, and fair ODM party’s nomination procedure, Babu will emerge as a formidable politician capable of delivering a significant shock to Wanyonyi.
According to analysts, the most effective approach to controlling Babu is by making him a running mate to Wanyonyi. However, if Wanyonyi receives a direct ticket from the party and Babu decides to run independently with a suitable running mate, the competition among Babu, Governor Johnson Sakaja, and Wanyonyi will be unpredictable.
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