I Will Be a Passive ODM Member – Babu Says After Party Fronted Mbadi for PAC Chair

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino says he is demotivated and has referred to himself as a “wounded ODM soldier” who has been disregarded, misled, and undervalued.

The second-term MP lost his cool on Twitter when he discovered he had been passed up for the role of chair of the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Babu alleged that the party gave the chairmanship to former Suba South MP John Mbadi after he lost out on the majority leader post.

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance settled for Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi for the post.

Read: I’m Not Interested in PAC Chairmanship – Mbadi Tells Babu

Speaking to the Standard in a candid interview, the former University of Nairobi (UoN) student leader said he learnt of the party decision from a senior ODM official through a phone call on Thursday.

“I had received Baba’s (Raila Odinga’s) endorsement for the position. How things changed remains a mystery to me,” he said.

“Ninety-nine (99) per cent of the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya MPs had proposed me for the PAC chairmanship. However, on Thursday evening I received a phone call from a senior ODM official asking me to step down for Mbadi.”

Babu said it was unfortunate that the Kenya Kwanza Alliance that is led by President William Ruto is embracing the youth while ODM has been doing the opposite.

Read Also: ODM MPs Kaluma, Babu Trade Barbs on Twitter

“It’s unfortunate that our competitors in Kenya Kwanza are embracing the youth, yet we, the young people in ODM, are being oppressed. Look at UDA for example: their candidate for Majority Leader in the National Assembly is [Kikuyu MP] Kimani Ichung’wah, a young person; their Majority Whip candidate is [South Mugirango MP] Sylvanus Osoro, a young person; their Senate Majority Leader candidate is [Kericho Senator] Aaron Cheruiyot, another young person. When you come to ODM, it’s only the elderly people who get the lucrative positions. Why should that be the case?” posed Babu.

He also noted that he made a lot of sacrifices for Raila Odinga especially during the 2022 campaign period, more than Mbadi did.

“He (Mbadi) watched me on television campaigning for Raila Odinga. My constituency (Embakasi East) brought more votes for Raila Odinga [in the presidential election] than some constituencies in Homa Bay County, where Mbadi comes from,” said the firebrand MP.

“I was arrested because of Raila Odinga; I campaigned in all the 47 counties for Raila Odinga. What did Mbadi do for Raila Odinga? Why does he deserve this seat more than me?”

Read Also: MP Mbadi Protests Wandayi’s Appointment as Majority Leader

Asked what will happen should the party go-ahead with its plan to front Mbadi for the PAC chairmanship, Babu said he will retreat to being a passive member of the Orange party.

“There’s nothing I can do. I’ll continue supporting ODM, but the party should know that I’ll be demotivated. I’m now wounded and would retreat to being a quasi (passive) member of the party. It appears that loyalty is punished in ODM, and there’s no room for the youth to take up senior leadership positions in the party.”