Nairobi’s political landscape turned into a battleground as Governor Johnson Sakaja and Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino engaged in a fiery exchange on social media. This fierce public spat lasted for 24 hours and revolved around issues of service delivery within the city.
The conflict ignited when a media report on Friday suggested that Governor Sakaja was among the worst-performing Governors in the country. This report set off a chain reaction of verbal blows between the two legislators.
MP Babu Owino wasted no time and took to social media on Saturday to unleash a tirade of accusations against Governor Sakaja.
He claimed that the Governor was primarily involved in embezzling county funds and purchasing properties abroad, including homes in America, London, and Dubai. In a scathing tweet, Babu declared, “Sakaja is an embarrassment to the People of Nairobi.”
Babu also criticized the Governor for allegedly increasing taxes on Nairobians, including levying taxes on deceased individuals. He expressed a grim view of the city’s situation, stating, “Nairobi imeisha, Dimples ndio imebaki. Imekataa kuwork.”
In response to these allegations, prominent lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi labeled the initial media report as fake. Governor Sakaja, in turn, defended his record as Nairobi’s leader.
He listed several accomplishments during his tenure, highlighting revenue collection, the employment of community health volunteers, and the construction of critical medical facilities. He also emphasized his commitment to improving infrastructure, providing scholarships, and supporting various development projects.
Sakaja argued that the media’s high-pitched criticism did not align with the ground reality of his administration’s achievements. He firmly defended his track record and investments in Nairobi’s development, such as tarmacked roads, street lighting, and bursaries and scholarships worth billions of Kenyan shillings.
In a swift counterattack, Babu Owino dismissed Sakaja’s claims as falsehoods. He specifically challenged the Governor’s statement regarding the disbursement of funds to MCAs, asserting that the ward-based funds were significantly lower than Sakaja had stated.
“Stop lying you gave MCAs 1200 bursary forms at 5k each which amounts to 6 million shillings not Ksh.23M which you are claiming. Every ward is supposed to get 23m shillings per year for bursaries, where’s the Ksh.17M shillings per ward for 85 wards= Ksh.1.4B shillings?” posed Babu.
The exchange between the two politicians escalated further when personal allegations and insults entered the fray. Babu accused Sakaja of being involved in cocaine use and claimed that he had stolen from Nairobi County.
“You said in your previous post that you gave bursaries worth Ksh.23M shillings in every ward. You are nothing in the intellectual parlance hence should stop misusing numbers, we are not in TEAM-building activities. You have stolen a lot from Nairobi county and addicted to alcohol and Bhang,” Babu said.
“For the white stuff, I stopped its consumption but you are advised to stop being a girlfriend we have more than enough ladies in Kenya. Catfish. The day you went for liposuction you also melted your brain cells.”
Sakaja retaliated, alleging that Babu was still using drugs and threatened to reveal evidence of his involvement in embezzling county funds.
In a bid to deescalate the situation, Sakaja reminded Babu of a past incident where he claimed to have intervened and secured Babu’s release from detention during a politically charged period. However, this attempt at reconciliation was short-lived as the two continued to exchange heated remarks.
The political feud between Sakaja and Babu occurs against the backdrop of their rumored interest in the Nairobi Gubernatorial seat, slated for the 2027 General Election.
Babu has expressed confidence in his ability to unseat Sakaja, while Sakaja has been suggested to have his eye on the same position. The rivalry between these two prominent figures promises to be a significant aspect of Nairobi’s political landscape in the coming years.