Thursday, August 21, 2025 - Embakasi East MP, Babu Owino, has clarified why he snubbed the joint ODM–UDA Parliamentary Group (PG) meeting convened by President William Ruto and ODM leader, Raila Odinga, on August 18th, 2025, at the KCB Leadership Centre in Karen.
In a media interview on Thursday, August 20th,
Babu said he stayed away because he felt sidelined during the drafting of the
NADCO report and the subsequent agreement that formed the broad-based Government
framework.
“I respect Raila Amolo Odinga. He is my leader, and you will
never see me fight him publicly.”
“But when the NADCO report was being drafted and when there
was an agreement between UDA and ODM, I was not consulted.”
“I represent my constituents and ought to have been
involved. If they did not consult me then, why would they consult me now?” he
said.
The legislator also defended ODM Secretary General Edwin
Sifuna, who similarly skipped the Karen meeting, saying he had valid reasons of
his own.
“He stressed that dissent within ODM should not be viewed as
rebellion, noting that Raila himself has encouraged free expression within the
party.”
“Baba has always said ODM members have the democratic right
to express themselves. We cannot all think alike,” Babu added.
The ODM-UDA meeting sought to consolidate cooperation under
a broad-based Government, formalised through a 10-point MoU in March 2025 to
address economic recovery, electoral reforms, and national unity.
However, both Babu and Sifuna have consistently criticised
the partnership, viewing it as a betrayal of ODM’s opposition role.
Their absence from the meeting signaled continued disquiet
within the party over deepening ties with President Ruto’s administration.
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