Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has addressed speculation surrounding his absence from the joint Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and United Democratic Alliance (UDA) parliamentary group meeting held on Monday, August 18.
The meeting, convened by President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga, was aimed at fostering collaboration between the ruling party and the opposition. Despite being a prominent ODM member, Owino’s conspicuous absence raised questions about his standing within the party.
Speaking on Thursday, August 21, Babu Owino clarified that his absence was not a signal of disloyalty but rather a result of not being consulted prior to the meeting.
“I respect Raila Odinga, he is my party leader, but when the NADCO report was being drafted, when there was an agreement between ODM and UDA on the Broad-Based Government, I was not consulted,” Owino stated.
He emphasised that as an elected representative, he has to ensure that the views of his constituents are considered in key political decisions.
Owino further highlighted the democratic ethos within ODM, asserting that party members retain the right to express divergent opinions. “Raila has mentioned that within ODM, people have democratic rights to express their views. I have the democratic right to stand against any wrongdoing in this country, not to side with the government if it is oppressive, and to provide oversight,” he said.
During the joint parliamentary group meeting, UDA and ODM members discussed strategies to put aside partisan divisions and prioritize national interest. Despite these developments, Owino, alongside Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, has remained critical of certain aspects of the Kenya Kwanza administration and the broad-based government agreement.
