Babu Owino: All Nairobi gubernatorial rivals are unworthy to compete against me
Embakasi East Member of Parliament (MP) Babu Owino, on Tuesday, 22 July 2025, warned Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and his other gubernatorial rivals ahead of the 2027 elections.
While speaking in a YouTube interview, Babu said that when he vies for the Nairobi Governor’s seat in 2027, no opponent can defeat him; not even the incumbent Sakaja can stand a chance.
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“As you can see, all the opponents are unworthy to compete against me. The incumbent cannot even win against himself, so we are spoilt for choice,” he said.
This is not the first time Babu has discredited the incumbent Nairobi Governor. The Embakasi East MP has repeatedly expressed confidence in defeating Sakaja in the 2027 gubernatorial election, as seen in various statements and posts.
From time to time, Babu has criticised Sakaja’s leadership, citing issues like poor governance, corruption, and failure to deliver services, claiming these make the governor vulnerable. For instance, Babu has argued that Sakaja’s administration has failed Nairobi residents on issues like transport, security, and revenue collection, positioning himself as a stronger candidate.
Opinion poll suggestions
A 2023 survey by the Centre for African Progress supported this, suggesting Babu would win with 42 per cent of the vote compared to Sakaja’s 23 per cent if elections were held then. However, recent polls paint a different picture.
A July 2025 Politrack Africa survey showed Embakasi North MP James Gakuya leading with 40.2 per cent, Babu trailing at 35.1 per cent, and Sakaja lagging at 7.1 per cent. Another March 2025 Mizani Africa poll also favoured Gakuya over both Babu and Sakaja. These suggest Babu’s confidence may not align with current voter sentiment, though he remains a strong contender.
Babu’s claims are also backed by allies like Lang’ata MP Felix Odiwuor, also known as Jalang’o, who stated in July 2025 that Babu could win with or without the ODM ticket due to his popularity and influence. However, posts on X indicate mixed sentiments, with some users supporting Babu’s potential to win independently, while others argue that Sakaja could still prevail, especially if backed by Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) or Raila Odinga, despite Babu’s loyalty to the party.
