Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has responded after he was ejected from Parliament on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, for dressing inappropriately.
Speaking to a journalist shortly after the incident, the youthful leader, who was admitted to the roll of advocates in June 2025, lamented the decision of National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula to throw him out of the chambers, stating that he has forgiven him.
“Today, the speaker ejected me from Parliament for dressing up in a lawyer’s bib. It is quite funny because it took my four years for my undergraduate degree in law and a further two years at the Kenya School of Law (KSL). A total of six years for me to earn this dress code,” Owino said.
Took me six years
“The whole of Parliament, the over 300 members of parliament, just went to the shop for only five minutes and bought a tie; yet it took me six years to earn this. So, you wonder who was supposed to be sent out,” he stated.
Drama ensued on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, when a member of parliament alerted the speaker that Owino was dressed in a lawyer’s bib, just like the speaker and the parliamentary clerks.
“Is it in order that the member for Embakasi East walks in and sits in the house dressed as if he were the speaker, save for your gown? Mr Speaker, we need your guidance as to whether this forms part of the proper dress code. He might have been admitted the other day. This dress code is causing confusion,” Mathare MP Anthony Oluoch said.
Ejected from Parliament
In response, Speaker Wetang’ula ruled that Babu Owino was indeed improperly dressed. He stated that even senior advocates in the House, who are also members of parliament, have never worn an advocate’s collar while in session. He cited examples such as himself, Millie Odhiambo, Otiende Amollo, Tom Kajwang’, and Gladys Shollei, noting that none had ever appeared in the chambers dressed in such a manner.
The Speaker then ordered Babu Owino to leave the chambers and return only after changing into appropriate attire.
“Indeed, Babu Owino, you are improperly dressed; even your very seniors, the likes of Milly Odhiambo, Otiendo Omollo, Otieno Kajwang, and Chief Justice Gladys Shollei, have never turned up dressed like that. I order you to retreat from the house and dress up and come back,” Wetangula said.
