Babu Owino Declares Nairobi Governor Bid, Pledges Affordable Housing Reforms

Nairobi politics took a fresh turn on Saturday when Embakasi East MP Paul Ongili — better known to Kenyans simply as Babu Owino — stepped into the Nairobi gubernatorial race with a declaration that was part policy speech, part campaign rally.

"I am going to be the next Governor of Nairobi City County. Full stop," Babu told a crowd of thousands at a weekend gathering in Embakasi, drawing roars that rattled the corrugated iron walls of the venue. "And when I get there, no resident of this city will sleep without a roof over their head."

His platform, as outlined on Saturday, centres on expanding affordable housing in Nairobi's sprawling informal settlements — Kibera, Mathare, Mukuru kwa Njenga, Korogocho — which together house an estimated two million people in conditions that have barely improved in a generation. He also pledged to establish a city-wide youth employment programme targeting 50,000 young people in his first year.

The Nairobi gubernatorial race for 2027 is already getting crowded. Tim Wanyonyi, who came close in 2022, is expected to run again, though a growing number of Nairobi's Broad-Based Government elected leaders have reportedly shifted support to Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala. Babu's entry adds a third serious contender from ODM-aligned politics.

Sitting Governor Johnson Sakaja, who recently launched the "Nairobi, Let's Talk" podcast as part of his community engagement strategy, has not yet declared whether he will seek a second term. Sources within City Hall say the podcast is partly a rebranding exercise designed to test his standing with residents ahead of a decision expected by end of 2026.