Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has sensationally claimed that a section of ODM legislators booed party leader Raila Odinga during a joint parliamentary group (PG) meeting attended by President William Ruto earlier this month.
Speaking on Friday, August 29, Owino clarified that his Kenya Moja faction, which has been gaining traction among legislators, is not composed of ODM rebels but rather loyalists who refused to participate in what he termed as an act of disloyalty against the party leader.
“We are working within the dictates and principles of the ODM party. Those who are rebels are the ones who went to boo Baba the other day when they called for a joint PG meeting. Why did ODM MPs decide to boo Baba? Ain’t that rebellion? Ain’t that lack of loyalty?” posed Owino.
The vocal lawmaker explained that he skipped the August 18 meeting, which was also attended by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, because he anticipated hostility towards Odinga. “For those of us who didn’t go, we knew what was going to happen, so we didn’t want to be part of the people who were planning to boo Baba,” he added.
The PG meeting, convened under the backdrop of the ODM-UDA cooperation following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), was intended to promote unity. However, it took a tense turn when President Ruto reportedly lectured MPs and Senators over corruption allegations, leaving some members uneasy.
Owino, alongside ODM Secretary General and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, was among key party leaders absent from the meeting. He instead used the moment to highlight the growing influence of the Kenya Moja movement, which he says now boasts the support of 70 MPs.
“We are the only force, not the third force; we are second to none. We are the only force with the intention to passionately champion the interests of Kenyans. We may not have a political party, but we have a following; the people are on our side,” Owino asserted.
He further disclosed ongoing talks with Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, hinting that the influential Mt Kenya politician could soon join Kenya Moja. “In time, we will know the candidate to support; the candidate must be pro-people,” Owino said.
