Babu Owino Declares Himself Chief Opposition Leader
Key takeaways
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- Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has dramatically assumed the role of opposition leader.
- In a Thursday afternoon press conference, the young parliamentarian slammed a section of opposition leaders who have joined the government.
- His statement follows Ruto’s controversial nomination of opposition politicians to his cabinet.
- Ruto’s cabinet list included the opposition’s national assembly minority whip Opiyo Wandai and ODM top gun Ali Hassan Joho.
Also read: Stephen Letoo Joins Journalists in CBD Protests Against Police Brutality
Babu Owino steps up as Kenya’s new opposition chief
Babu Owino expressed his intention to succeed the veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga in the latest media briefing.
In his emphatic press conference, Babu dramatically announced “Actually from today henceforth am the chief opposition leader, because there are so many people in opposition who are in bed with the government.”
The former university student leader also slammed opposition politicians who have recently joined the government.
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leaders were nominated for several vacant cabinet positions, days after the president dismissed his cabinet.
“It pains me to see a person who was a member of parliament join the government,” said Hon. Babu.
Raila leads ODM troops to government
Kenya’s king of political opposition Raila Odinga has recently been in the crosshairs of the general public.
His recent candidacy for the chairmanship of the African Union has brought him into closer alignment with the government, which has subsequently endorsed his candidacy.
The Kenyan government has for the past few months campaigned for him by rallying other countries in the region to Raila’s corner.
Raila’s close ties with the government came under public scrutiny when he appeared alongside Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi in a recent joint press briefing.
Ruto’s announcement of a broad-based government ultimately brought a few of Odinga’s allies to the government.
Ruto’s opposition nominees to the government include:
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- John Mbadi – CS nominee for Treasury
- Ali Hassan Joho – CS nominee for Mining and the Blue Economy
- Wycliffe Oparanya – CS nominee for Cooperatives
- Opiyo Wandayi – CS nominee for Energy
Babu Owino’s heroics at parliament win Gen Z
The president’s nomination of Raila’s men into his cabinet has been touted by many as the dissolution of Kenya’s critical wing of the opposition.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. From the ‘Embakasi East Republic,’ Babu Owino has emerged to take over the opposition mantle.
Hon. Babu also took the opportunity to paint the sad situation of the country which he termed as the creation of President Ruto.
MP Owino has recently enjoyed high popularity among Gen Zs, a group of young Kenyans who have been agitating for reforms in Kenya’s governance.
The MP made an iconic appearance during the famous #OccupyParliament demos which saw protestors storm into Kenya’s parliament buildings in anger.
Police guarding its perimeter had opened fire and killed several protestors on the spot.
Other protestors were reportedly gunned down by snipers positioned strategically in the area.
Amid the confusion, Babu Owino climbed the parliament’s fence and came to the aid of a young protestor who was injured by bullets.
Inside the perimeter another popular opposition figure Senator Edwin Sifuna also shielded protestors from police fire.
The two legislators’ acts of bravery, along with their “NO” vote on the Finance Bill 2024 earned them high recognition in Kenya’s revolution circles.
“I speak on behalf of all Gen Zs when I say we should form our party as early as now and endorse Babu Owino as our leader,” writes @ThepemlinKee on X.
Also read: Passaris Accuses Gen Z of Planning to Paralyze the Economy
Babu Owino is among the high-flying politicians from Nyaza considered to be potential heirs of Raila Odinga.
While he represents Emabakasi East in Nairobi, Babu Owino enjoys considerable popularity in many parts of the country including the Nyanza region.
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