Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) acting party leader Oburu Odinga has assured Embakasi East MP Babu Owino that the party will grant him the gubernatorial ticket for Nairobi if he wins the nominations ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during an interview on Ramogi TV, Oburu dismissed fears that Babu would be denied the ticket, urging him to remain patient and committed to the party. He stated that ODM’s nomination process would be transparent and that whoever wins fairly will automatically be awarded the ticket.
“I do not see anything wrong with Babu Owino, although I hear there are some issues that may be troubling him,” Oburu said. “I do not think there can be any reason to deny him the ticket if he wins the nominations. If he wins, he will get it, so let him not run away from the party.”
Oburu encouraged all ODM aspirants eyeing the Nairobi gubernatorial race to come forward and face each other openly in the primaries, rather than defecting to other parties out of fear of unfair treatment.
“Anyone who wants the party ticket in the Nairobi Governor race should just declare and square it out openly among each other. Let nobody run away because they think they will be denied a chance. Nobody can take the ticket away from you if you win it and you’re a member of the party,” he added.
Raila Successor
Babu Owino has been positioning himself as one of the youthful politicians likely to shape the next phase of ODM leadership. The Embakasi East MP has, in recent months, intensified his public engagements, signalling his intention to contest the Nairobi governor's seat.
Oburu, however, cautioned against viewing the succession of Raila Odinga through the lens of regional kingpins, saying leadership will naturally evolve.
“There’s no forum where a Luo kingpin is elected. A kingpin will sprout out of nowhere like a mushroom; someone will just emerge and take Raila’s space, but not from his agemates like myself,” he remarked.
He added that younger leaders would likely step into the vacuum left by Raila’s passing, noting that such transitions are driven by public acceptance rather than handpicking.
“There are young leaders cropping up, and one of them will step up and take that place. But if we handpick somebody and the people do not accept him, then they will still not be kingpin,” Oburu said.
Oburu – Babu Meeting
The acting ODM leader revealed that he had not yet met Babu in person but had sent emissaries to reach out to him to discuss party matters.
He urged the youthful MP to remain calm and loyal to ODM, assuring him that nothing wrong had occurred within the party.
City Hall Race
Before Raila’s passing, current Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja had cultivated a close working relationship with the ODM leader and was seen attending some party functions.
In September, Sakaja survived an impeachment attempt by Nairobi MCAs after both President William Ruto and Raila Odinga intervened to calm the situation.
Sakaja’s camp has since faced renewed political pressure following Raila’s passing, with Babu Owino appearing to seize the moment to solidify his influence in Nairobi politics, with a section of his supporters positioning him as a contender ready to challenge the incumbent for the city’s top seat.
So far, the Nairobi gubernatorial race has attracted several potential aspirants, including Babu Owino, Governor Johnson Sakaja, former Principal Secretary Irungu Nyakera, former CS and Presidential Advisor Moses Kuria, and Embakasi North MP James Gakuya, among others.
