Babu Owino slams delay in Sakaja impeachment, calls it betrayal to Nairobians

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Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has sharply criticised the shelving of an impeachment motion against Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, calling it a ‘betrayal’ of city residents who, he claims, are suffering under failed leadership.

Speaking during an interview on K24 TV, the outspoken lawmaker said delaying the motion amounted to shielding the governor from accountability, despite what he termed “undeniable failures” in managing county affairs.

“It’s painful that leaders who should stand with Nairobians have instead chosen to shield the Governor. Lives must come before politics,” said Mr Owino.

His remarks follow a dramatic week in Nairobi politics that saw a group of Kenya Kwanza-affiliated Members of County Assembly (MCAs) prepare a motion to impeach Governor Sakaja, citing allegations of poor service delivery, abuse of office, mismanagement of funds, and failure to consult the county assembly.

However, the momentum behind the motion fizzled after behind-the-scenes negotiations, reportedly led by ODM leader Raila Odinga and President William Ruto, who intervened to de-escalate the political standoff.

Sources within both camps confirmed that the two leaders met privately and agreed to protect the Nairobi governor from the looming ouster, urging MCAs and MPs allied to their coalitions to step down from the plan for the sake of “national unity and development.”

Following this intervention, Sakaja met with a section of Azimio-affiliated MCAs at his Riverside office. He assured them of equal development across all 85 wards and promised to address grievances raised by ward reps across the political divide.

“We will not be distracted by rumours or side shows. Our focus is to work for Nairobians,” Sakaja later said at a public function, dismissing the impeachment talks as politically motivated.

But Mr Owino, a close ally of Raila, has not hidden his disapproval of the truce.

“Nairobi deserves better,” he said. 

“Sakaja is an embarrassment to the young people. You can’t praise failure simply because he’s your friend.”

The MP has been a consistent critic of the Nairobi Governor, previously accusing him of sponsoring violence during protests, mismanaging key projects like the school feeding programme, and adopting what he termed a “militarised” approach to rate collection.

In a June 22 statement, Mr Sakaja rejected the claims as “false, malicious and politically motivated,” insisting, “I have never and will never sponsor violence of any kind.” 

He reaffirmed his commitment to clean politics--siasa safi--and accused detractors of exploiting the youth protests for political gain.

“We categorically dissociate ourselves from any gangs, militias, or politically sponsored groups that exploit demonstrations to engage in criminal activity.”

In a separate interview, Mr Owino admitted that the ODM party is unlikely to back him for the Nairobi gubernatorial race in 2027, following Raila’s public endorsement of Sakaja for a second term.

“I respect Baba (Raila Odinga), but I am sure I will not get the ODM ticket for Nairobi,” he said.

“That’s politics, but I will keep speaking the truth.”

As pressure eases off the Governor, political analysts note that the impeachment attempt--though unsuccessful--has exposed cracks within Nairobi’s leadership and the uneasy balancing act between party loyalty and public service.