“Hii Nairobi Ilienda”- Babu Owino Rejects Reports Of Gachagua Urging Him To Run For Senate

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has strongly dismissed reports claiming that former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua asked him to drop his 2027 Nairobi gubernatorial ambitions in favor of a Senate run.

Taking to his social media handles, the lawmaker labeled the reports as “fake news,” reassuring his supporters that he remains squarely in the race to unseat Governor Johnson Sakaja.

“My unworthy opponents have given up and are now banking on fake news. Hii Nairobi ilienda kitambo sana,” Babu declared, adding with trademark humor: “The Gubernatorial race is between Babu Owino vs Paul Ongili.”

Rumored Political Deals and Opposition Tensions

The MP’s response follows media reports alleging that Gachagua held behind-the-scenes negotiations aimed at streamlining opposition lineups for Nairobi County in the 2027 General Election.

According to those reports, Gachagua allegedly favored Embakasi North MP James Gakuya for the governor’s seat under a Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) ticket, proposing that Babu shift his target to the Senate seat to avoid splitting opposition votes.

Firm Stance on the Mwananchi Party Ticket

Babu, however, has maintained that he will contest the governorship on his newly rebranded Mwananchi Party platform.

He emphasized his intention to field Mwananchi Party candidates across Nairobi’s ward seats, aiming to secure a solid numerical backing of Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) within the Nairobi County Assembly.

As key political figures work toward building a unified front against President William Ruto, managing overlapping ambitions for high-stakes positions like the Nairobi governorship is expected to remain a critical test for opposition unity.