Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has openly criticized Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja for allegedly deploying hired goons to interfere with peaceful protests in the city. Taking to his social media platform, Babu accused Sakaja of betraying the promises he made to Nairobi residents by promoting fear and intimidation instead of leadership.
According to Babu, the situation on the ground shows growing tension, with vendors facing harassment, young people being beaten, and voices of dissent being violently silenced. He questioned whether this was the leadership that Sakaja had campaigned for, calling it a betrayal of trust.
“Governor Sakaja, Nairobi did not elect you to unleash goons on its people,” Owino wrote.“You promised leadership. You spoke of change. But what we’re seeing is betrayal.”
Owino emphasized that the role of a leader is to serve and protect citizens, not to dominate them through threats and violence. He warned that sending goons to intimidate residents is not leadership, but ruling through fear. He added that despite the suppression attempts, Nairobians remain resilient and aware.
“You can silence a few voices today, but you cannot kill the spirit of an entire city,” Owino said. He urged Sakaja to shift away from publicity gimmicks and instead focus on genuine service, humility, and protection of the people.
The statement comes amid growing allegations that Sakaja’s administration paid individuals to disrupt demonstrations held on Tuesday, which were in response to the murder of teacher Albert Ojwang and the public’s call for Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat’s resignation.
Reports claim that Governor Sakaja allegedly met with self-declared Bunge la Mwananchi leader Gaucho and political activist Swaleh Sonko on Sunday, June 15, and provided them with Ksh. 2 million to disrupt the protests. A video that surfaced online showed a group of youths chanting “Sakaja tumelinda jiji” outside City Hall, reportedly part of the paid disruption effort.
While some of the goons later spoke to Citizen TV, confirming they had been hired to disrupt the demonstrations, many claimed they were not paid as promised.
Governor Sakaja, however, dismissed the accusations as lies. In his own social media response, he said he was out of town on the day of the alleged meeting and denied any recent contact with Gaucho or Swaleh. “Such blatant lies,” he wrote, adding that he had traveled back to Nairobi on Monday afternoon via Kitale.
By Yockshard Enyendi
