NAIROBI, Kenya Jan 29 – In Kenyan politics, crowds are power.
They signal love from the people, relevance, and momentum.
That is why the growing crowds around Embakasi East MP Babu Owino are causing quiet anxiety among Nairobi’s political class.
At a time when politicians are often accused of hiring crowds to create the illusion of popularity, Babu is pulling large turnouts that many observers say look organic and consistent.
From Soweto to Utawala and Chokaa, residents have been turning up in large numbers for his bursary distribution drive.
The optics are hard to ignore.
Babu, who is eyeing the Nairobi governorship in 2027, is already being mentioned as a frontrunner by some pollsters.
The crowds he is attracting are now adding fuel to that narrative, sending a clear message to rivals, including incumbent Governor Johnson Sakaja.
In Nairobi’s crowded political space, large turnouts are often read as a sign of political health.
While critics argue that crowd size does not always translate into votes, history shows that politicians who consistently mobilise people on the ground tend to shape the political conversation.
– Why Babu Owino crowds are drawing attention across Nairobi –
Babu’s recent appearances have followed a clear pattern.
On Tuesday, he drew huge crowds in Soweto, Lower Savannah Ward and Donholm during the distribution of bursary forms.
On Wednesday, similar scenes were witnessed in Utawala.
By Thursday, Chokaa residents were also out in large numbers.
What stands out is that these gatherings are happening within his Embakasi East constituency, where he is distributing education bursaries, a factor that explains the turnout, but does not fully dismiss the political signal being sent.
During the bursary distribution exercises, Babu framed the initiative as a fight against poverty through education.
“These bursary forms are not just papers. They are doors. They are second chances,” he told residents in Utawala, adding that poverty should never silence potential.
Addressing residents in Soweto earlier in the week, the MP said education was the strongest foundation communities could give their children.
“When we invest in education, we are investing in a future where knowledge replaces limitation and hope replaces uncertainty,” he said.
He urged learners to remain focused and reminded parents that education was not a privilege but a right.
By Thursday, while issuing bursary forms in Chokaa, Babu said every form represented hope and opportunity, stressing that an educated community is an empowered community.
– Netizens react as Babu Owino crowds dominate political talk –
The crowds have not gone unnoticed online.
“It will be very hard to stop Babu Owino from being governor Nairobi. The number of people supporting him is unbelievable. This is Soweto in pictures,” Captain Dominic Omondi wrote on X.
Another user, Joecool, added: “This is Babu Owino in Soweto. Oburu Odinga has NEVER commanded a mammoth crowd such as this. This is a young man you can NEVER politically ignore.”
Not everyone was impressed.
Adele on X offered a cautionary take, saying: “Babu Owino wants to be like Raila. Somebody tell him he cannot match Raila Odinga bana.”
While it is still early, the repeated images of packed grounds and enthusiastic supporters are shaping perceptions.
In Kenyan politics, perception often matters as much as reality.
For Nairobi’s political elite, Babu’s rallies are more than just bursary events.
They are being read as early warning signs that a serious challenger may already be mobilising on the ground, long before the official 2027 campaigns begin.
Whether crowds alone can carry him to City Hall remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: in a city where crowd power still speaks loudly, Babu Owino is speaking a language his rivals cannot afford to ignore.
