Embakasi East Member of Parliament (MP) Babu Owino on Thursday, January 16 weighed in on reports that Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party leader Raila Odinga was supporting Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.
While addressing the media using an analogy, Owino expressed disappointment, stating it was unfortunate for a father to show more love to a child from outside than his own.
“Regarding Governor Sakaja being favored by Raila Odinga, as I mentioned earlier, a father may love one child more than the other in a household.
However, it is unfortunate that this child is not from our house but rather a neighbor’s child,” Owino said.
Babu Says Sakaja Doesn’t Need Odinga’s Support as He Never Backed His Presidency
Babu further referenced Sakaja’s political history of not supporting Odinga, saying Sakaja was not coming with clean hands.
He emphasized that Odinga should recognize his genuine political supporters, including himself.
“In 2007, Sakaja was in ‘Vijana na Kibaki,’ opposed Baba because he was in President Kibaki’s team, and did not vote for him.
In 2013, he was the chairman of TNA, opposed Baba, and supported Uhuru instead. In 2017, he was in Jubilee, opposed Baba, and again backed Uhuru. In 2022, he was with UDA, opposed Baba, and did not vote for him,” Owino added.
Also Read: Babu Owino Breaks Silence on Vying for Presidency in 2027
Furthermore, the Embakasi East legislator accused Sakaja of mismanaging Nairobi County since assuming office as governor.
“Look at the current state of Nairobi. The city is in a mess. With a budget of Ksh 42 billion, he is collecting less than that, and nobody knows where the collected money is going to date,” Owino said.
Sakaja’s Recent Bromance with Raila Sparks Speculation of ODM Move for Reelection
Recently, Raila Odinga and Sakaja have been seen together in public, raising speculation that Sakaja might be seeking Odinga’s support for his re-election bid in 2027 as an ODM candidate.
Sakaja has attended multiple public events with Odinga since President William Ruto formed the Broad-Based Government.
Also Read: Sakaja Bans Hawking in Nairobi CBD Streets [FULL LIST]
He was seen with Raila in Addis Ababa in December 2024 during the AUC chairmanship debate and in Homa Bay at Governor Gladys Wanga’s football tournament the same month, where President Ruto was also present.
After becoming Nairobi Governor, Sakaja appointed several ODM party members to his county leadership and agreed to work with ODM MCAs, signaling an intention to collaborate with Odinga in 2027.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and join our WhatsApp Group for real-time news updates.
