- Babu Owino has dismissed reports that he will abandon the Nairobi gubernatorial race in favor of Kisumu
- The Member of Parliament for Embakasi East has repeatedly indicated that he will run for the City Hall seat in 2027 but has not yet officially confirmed his candidacy
- Babu will face incumbent Governor Johnson Sakaja, who is backed by the coalition government, amid ongoing debates within ODM
Member of Parliament for Embakasi East Grandfather Owino has denied reports circulating that he has abandoned plans to run for Nairobi governorship.
Source: Facebook
In a statement posted on Facebook on Wednesday, January 7, the young MP rejected suggestions that he intends to shift his political ambitions to Kisumu county, insisting that he remains focused on City Hall.
Babu described the reports as false information spread by political opponents. He emphasized that he is still committed to the Nairobi race, and that he has no plans to resign.
“Forget about fake information being spread by my unworthy opponents. We are in Nairobi to stay,” he said.
Will Babu defeat Sakaja in the 2027 vote?
The lawmaker’s comments come before the big contest expected against the incumbent Governor Johnsonwho is seeking a second term after being elected under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket in 2022.
Sakaja benefits from the support of a broad government coalition, which includes the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), Babu’s own party.
Despite this, the ODM leadership seems to be divided about the future of the party, and Babu has not yet confirmed the political instrument he will use in the end for his ambition in Nairobi.
In the past several months, Babu has increased his public participation, often indicating his intention to run for Nairobi governorship in 2027, although he has not officially announced it.
Will ODM support Sakaja to run for governor in 2027?
Concerns have arisen that the party may stop its nomination, especially after the late ODM leader Raila Odinga showing clear support for Sakaja.
However, ODM party leader Oburu Oginga earlier assured Babu, stressing that the selection process will be open and based on merit, and urged the MP to remain patient and honest.
Oburu insisted that “whoever wins fairly will be given the ticket automatically.”
Meanwhile, Sakaja has built a close working relationship with ODM in recent years, attending several important party events.
In September 2024, he survived an impeachment attempt by members of the Nairobi County Assembly after President William Ruto and Raila to intervene to mediate the conflict.
Source: Twitter
Will Babu Owino win the governorship of Nairobi in the 2027 general election?
TUKO.co.ke previously reported that Lang’ata Member of Parliament Felix Jalang’o predicted major political changes in Nairobi if Babu enters the gubernatorial race in 2027.
He emphasized that Babu’s influence and youth support make him a strong candidate, even without the official endorsement of ODM.
Jalang’o suggested that Babu could win the Nairobi governorship, serve for one term, and then emerge as a strong presidential candidate in 2032.
He also highlighted the role of the next generation of leaders, including Babu and Member of Parliament for Kiharu Ndindi Nyoro, in shaping Kenya’s political environment after President William Ruto’s second term ended.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
