NAIROBI, Kenya — Embakasi East Member of Parliament (MP) Babu Owino has launched a scathing attack on Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, accusing him of betraying the trust of city residents by allegedly unleashing goons on peaceful demonstrators.
This accusation comes amidst swirling allegations that Governor Sakaja’s administration orchestrated the disruption of recent protests.
In a strongly worded statement posted on his official X platform, MP Owino directly criticized Governor Sakaja’s leadership, linking his remarks to the claims of goon hiring and highlighting what he described as widespread harassment and intimidation.
“Governor Sakaja, Nairobi did not elect you to unleash goons on its people. You promised leadership. You spoke of change. But what we’re seeing is betrayal,” Owino asserted.
He painted a grim picture of daily life under the current administration, alleging that “Vendors are being harassed. Youths are being beaten. Voices of dissent are being silenced not with facts, but with fists.”
The legislator directly challenged the Governor’s campaign promises, asking, “Is this the ‘new Nairobi’ you promised?”
Owino drew a sharp distinction between authentic leadership and what he characterized as authoritarian rule.
“You were elected to fix broken systems, not to break the people. You were given power to serve, not to suppress,” he declared.
The MP further accused the Governor of governing through intimidation, stating: “Every time your administration sends goons to intimidate the people, you remind us: You are not leading. You are ruling through fear.”
Despite his harsh critique, Owino expressed unwavering confidence in the resilience of Nairobians, warning Governor Sakaja that the populace remains vigilant.
“But here’s what you forget, Nairobians are watching. They are not fools. And they are not afraid. You can silence a few voices today, but you cannot kill the spirit of an entire city,” he remarked.
He concluded his statement by challenging Sakaja to demonstrate genuine leadership, emphasizing, “Real leadership is not loud music and PR stunts. It’s service. It’s humility. It’s protecting your people, not attacking them.”
These accusations from MP Owino stem from widely circulated reports alleging that Governor Sakaja’s administration secretly organized a meeting on Sunday, June 15.
The alleged meeting reportedly involved self-proclaimed Bunge la Mwananchi president Calvin Okoth Otieno, alias Gaucho, and Swaleh Sonko, with the objective of coordinating the disruption of Tuesday’s peaceful demonstrations.
These protests were calling for the resignation of Deputy Police Inspector General Eliud Lagat over his purported links to the murder of teacher Albert Ojwang’.
During this alleged coordination, the Governor is said to have facilitated the individuals with KSh 2 million to “neutralise” the protestors. A video that went viral online captured goons chanting ‘Sakaja tumelinda jiji’ as they marched past City Hall during the demonstrations.
Further investigations by Vivid Voice News, an exposé, revealed multiple individuals identifying as goons who confirmed being hired to sabotage the protests, though many claimed they were subsequently shortchanged and are still awaiting owed payments.
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For his part, Governor Sakaja has vehemently dismissed these specific accusations, labeling them as “blatant lies.”
He provided an alibi, stating that on the Sunday in question, he was in Lugari, Kakamega, for church and returned to Nairobi the following day via Kitale, providing a screenshot of his Skywards air ticket to back his claim.
He also explicitly denied having any recent meetings with either Gaucho or Swaleh, stating on X: “Such blatant lies. On Sunday, I was in Lugari for Church and came back to Nairobi on Monday afternoon through Kitale via Skywards. Ticket below. I have not seen Gaucho since he attended the Mukuru Housing Launch or Swaleh in many months (everyone knows who he works for).”
The escalating rhetoric between the prominent legislator and the Governor highlights the growing political tensions in Nairobi and underscores the ongoing scrutiny surrounding the management of public protests and persistent allegations of politically orchestrated thuggery.
