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Babu Owino: I used to take hard drugs before DJ Evolve shooting, I quit after the tragedy
04th May, 2026 12:32 PM
In a remarkably candid confession, Nairobi gubernatorial hopeful Babu Owino has laid bare his past struggles with drug and alcohol abuse, describing the shooting of Felix Orinda – better known as DJ Evolve – as the catalyst for a total life overhaul.
The MP, who has faced years of public scrutiny following the 2020 incident, did not shy away from his past “skeletons,” admitting that before the tragedy, he was spiraling through a lifestyle of heavy substance use.
Speaking on his personal transformation during a TV interview on Monday May 4, 2026, Babu Owino stated:
“Just like you and I, we’ve fallen short of the glory of the Almighty God. No man is righteous, no woman is righteous, we have our challenges, we have our skeletons, we have our weakness. And in those weakness that we have we see the strength of God. That is the only way we can [see] God’s strength.”
The legislator revealed that the night of the shooting served as a spiritual and physical wake-up call, leading him to abandon a lifestyle that he says was fueled by “anything capable of making anybody high.”
“This [DJ Evolve’s shooting] was something that happened it changed my life for the better,” Babu Owino started.
“I used to drink, I used to take hard substances – drugs, I used to do anything capable of making anybody high, ok? I stopped all these. From 2020 to date, I have never touched a glass of alcohol, that is six years down the line,” he added.
Babu Owino likened the experience to a biblical conversion, calling it a “Soul-Paul moment” intended to set both him and the DJ on a different path.
“This was meant to change me, it was a Soul-Paul moment,” he reckoned.
According to the Embakasi East MP, the impact of the tragedy was not limited to his own sobriety.
He also claimed that Felix Orinda, aka DJ Evolve, has also undergone a similar lifestyle change in the years since the shooting.
“It was also equally meant to change Felix,” Babu Owino said.
“In the Bible, it says that if something wrong happens to you and it takes life, then it is the work of the devil, but if something wrong happens to someone and it doesn’t take life, then God is trying to make you move from that wrong path into a right path. So it was meant to change both of us. Felix also stopped consumption of alcohol,” Babu disclosed.
While Babu Owino’s personal evolution has focused on his sobriety, he continues to emphasise the “restorative justice” he is providing through financial support.
The MP in the same interview disclosed that he has spent close to Ksh70 million on the DJ’s recovery, maintaining a monthly medical bill of approximately Ksh500,000.
As he campaigns for the Governor’s seat, Babu Owino appears to be leaning into this narrative of redemption, arguing that his weaknesses have allowed for a newfound “strength” as he seeks to lead the nation’s capital.
