NAIROBI, Kenya Jan 7 – Nairobi gubernatorial hopeful Babu Owino has dismissed claims circulating online that he will not contest in the upcoming elections, insisting he remains firmly in the race for the capital’s top seat.
In a statement, the Embakasi East Member of Parliament blamed what he termed as misinformation being spread by political rivals seeking to undermine his ambitions.
“Forget about the FAKE information being peddled by my UNWORTHY opponents. We are in NAIROBI to STAY,” Babu said in a statement on Monday, pushing back against speculation about his political plans.
The clarification comes days after a heated scuffle involving Babu and social media personality Robert Alai, which drew widespread attention and sparked debates on social media. The altercation reportedly occurred at a restaurant in Nairobi further fueling rumors about Babu’s political ambitions.
According to the MP, the incident occurred on Saturday afternoon after he was invited for a private meeting by a senior clergyman at a well-known restaurant along Lenana Road in Kilimani.
“Yesterday afternoon, a friend of mine who is a senior clergyman invited me for a meeting at a popular restaurant along Lenana Road in the Kilimani area. Having released my security detail for the Christmas holidays, I drove myself to the venue and arrived at approximately 3:40 p.m. We held our discussions for about twenty minutes, after which I stood up to leave,” Babu stated.
As he was exiting the restaurant, Babu noticed a group of people he knew seated nearby and approached them to exchange greetings. Among those present was Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai.
It was at this point, Babu claims, that Alai accused him of orchestrating online attacks against his wife. The Embakasi East MP says he denied the allegation, explaining that he had no personal relationship with Alai’s wife and no reason to involve family members in political disputes.
He further maintained that attacking women has never been part of his political approach and that he does not engage Alai personally, making the accusation unfounded.
The situation escalated when Alai became aggressive, pushing Owino and producing a pistol, which he used to strike him on the chest and jaw in the presence of other patrons. Owino says he remained composed and urged Alai to calm down and explain the basis of his anger. For a brief moment, tensions appeared to ease, with both men sitting down and another individual stepping in to separate them.
“At that point, Hon. Alai became aggressive, pushed me, drew a pistol, and struck me on the chest and jaw with it, all in full view of patrons at the establishment. I stood my ground and urged him to calm down, asking him to explain what wrong I had committed to warrant such a violent reaction. He appeared to cool down, and we briefly sat, with another person positioning himself between us,” he added.
However, Owino claims the calm was short-lived. He further stated that Alai once again became hostile, picked up a glass of water from the table and poured it on his face as onlookers gathered, alarmed by the unfolding scene.
To prevent the situation from turning into a physical fight, Owino says he immediately left the restaurant and went straight to Kilimani Police Station, where he formally reported the matter.
The Nairobi gubernatorial contest has been shaping up to be a closely watched race, with candidates from various political parties declaring their interest in the city’s top seat.
