Homa Bay Town Member of Parliament (MP) Peter Kaluma has come out to take a swipe at Babu Owino’s ejection from Parliament after donning an advocate’s collar during a parliamentary session.
In a statement released on the morning of Wednesday, July 2, the lawmaker told off the young legislator, stating that only MPs who hold the rank of Senior Counsel are permitted to wear the collar in Parliament, not junior advocates like him.
“Only senior counsels are allowed to dress like this in Parliament. Iwinjo @HEBabuOwino,” Kaluma posted.
The ejection
This comes after, on July 1, 2025, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino was ejected from Kenya’s National Assembly by Speaker Moses Wetang’ula for wearing an advocate’s collar, which was deemed improper attire for parliamentary proceedings.
Owino, who was recently admitted to the bar as an Advocate of the High Court, had attended the session directly from a court appearance, still dressed in his legal regalia, including a black suit and a barrister’s band.
Mathare MP Tom Oluoch raised the issue, questioning whether Owino’s attire mimicked that of the Speaker and violated the House’s dress code. Wetang’ula ruled that Owino was improperly dressed, noting that even senior advocates like Millie Odhiambo and Gladys Shollei had never worn such attire in Parliament.
He ordered Owino to leave and return in appropriate clothing. Owino complied, exiting with a light-hearted demeanour.
“Indeed, Babu Owino, you are improperly dressed; even you, very senior, 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.
Owino later expressed frustration, highlighting that his advocate’s attire—earned after six years of legal studies—was dismissed, while MPs in simpler outfits faced no issue. He stated that he had forgiven the Speaker but found the ejection “quite funny”.
The incident has sparked discussion, especially given Owino’s history of vocal advocacy and previous ejections from Parliament for disorderly conduct, including in 2022 and 2023. Dress code debates in Kenya’s Parliament have long been contentious, with previous incidents involving MPs such as Millie Odhiambo and Gathoni Wamuchomba over attire deemed inappropriate.
