Babu Owino
Babu Owino | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament for Embakasi East Constituency | |
| Assumed office 31 August 2017 | |
| Preceded by | John Omondi Ogutu |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 October 1989 Kondele, Kisumu, Kenya |
| Political party | Azimio la Umoja |
| Children | 5 including Tanasha |
Paul Ongili Owino (born 10 October 1989),[1] also known as Babu Owino, is a Kenyan politician and member of parliament for Embakasi East Constituency.[2] He gained media recognition the chairperson of Students Organisation of Nairobi University (SONU).[3][4]
Early life and education
[edit]Owino attended Central Primary School (Kisumu). From 2003 to 2006 he joined Kisumu Boys' Secondary School.[5]
In 2008, he joined the University of Nairobi for a bachelor's degree in Actuarial Science and graduated with First Class Honors in 2012.[6] In 2013, he went back to Nairobi University (UoN) to pursue a degree in Law.[7]
Political career
[edit]In 2011 he was elected as the chairperson of the Student Organisation of Nairobi University (SONU).[7]
On 31 August 2017, he was elected as a member of parliament for Embakasi East Constituency.[8] He is a Lifetime member of the ODM Party.
Personal life
[edit]Paul Ongili Owino (Babu Owino) is a husband to Frida Muthoni with whom they have two daughters. Babu also has another child (a son) from a previous relationship with an unnamed woman, making him the father of three biological children.[9]
Controversy
[edit]Attempted murder
[edit]In January 2020, Owino was arrested for shooting an unarmed nightclub DJ in the neck at close range while at B-Club, a popular nightclub in the Kilimani area in Nairobi.[10][11][12] Owino was charged with attempted murder. He was jailed for 7 days and is currently out on bail pending completion of the case.[13][14] According to Owino, he acted in self defence after he was provoked.[15] A video of the shooting was published by several media, leading the DCI to announce that his office will charge him with attempted murder because it was clear he intended to kill the man.[10] In the video, Babu is seen shooting Felix Orinda, also known as DJ Evolve, and dragging his body out of the night club with other unidentified persons.[16][17][18]
In December 2021, Owino reportedly entered a civil agreement with the victim out of capital crimes of attempted murder he committed against the victim of the shooting including purchase of cars, a house and hospital bills and a series of payments to the victim.[19] Owino attracted criticism for being drafted into the next government by continuing a never ending pattern of impunity where a number of politicians engage in capital crimes of murder, rape and even convicted of corruption crimes and are conveniently left unpunished because of corruption and impunity in Kenya, then later commit the same crimes against other members of the public.[20][21]
Babu joins a string of elected Kenyan politicians with criminal records that have their criminal records mysteriously end for them to be conveniently allowed to pay out of crimes. In 2017, Starehe MP Jaguar, was also convicted of killing two people by vehicular manslaughter, he was fined ksh 40,000 and barred from driving for one year.[21][20][22]
The courts have been criticised for minimising inconveniences to Owino owing to bizarre legal, sometimes unconstitutional but politically convenient provisions such as enabling bail payment of attempted murder in installments, accommodations not offered to ordinary Kenyans because of political patronage of impunity and corruption.[23][21][24] The magistrate's ruling was also criticised for allowing restorative justice to the victim, in a capital offence (a responsibility of the state independent of restoration to the victim) without first getting punishment that would deter Owino from repeating the same crimes as an elected official against other members of the public.[20]
Hate speech, threats and insults
[edit]In September 2021, Owino was accused of making threatening phone calls, sending threatening messages and intimidating journalists.[25][26][27] According to several media in Kenya, in September 2017, Owino was arrested for verbally insulting Kenya's President Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta. Multiple leaders across the political divide in Kenya called for stern legal action to be taken against him for abusing freedom of speech by making blatantly disparaging remarks against the president.[28] He was arrested and charged with hate speech in Nairobi.[29][30]
Assaults
[edit]Owino has numerous times been reported for physically assaulting several people in Kenya, including fellow legislators, parking attendants, night guards among many others.[3] Some of the incidents have included videos published by various media with him openly physically confronting persons who differ with him about anything. In September 2017 Owino was arrested and charged for assaulting and causing grievous body harm to a voter.[31][32] In January 2018 Owino was arrested for assaulting a parking attendant together with his aides in Westlands, Nairobi for allegedly refusing to pay parking fees.[33][34] Owino denied the allegations despite a video showing the parking attendant being assaulted.[35][36] In November 2018 Owino was involved in a bare knuckle physical fight over differing political positions with fellow legislator, Starehe Constituency MP Jaguar within parliament buildings.[37][38]
References
[edit]- ^ Mburu, Amos (18 March 2019). "Exposed:MP Babu Owino biography excites Kenyans". Daily Active. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
- ^ Rotich, Kevin. "Interesting things about Babu Owino you should know". UREPORT-CITIZEN JOURNALISM. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
- ^ a b Musungu, Nahashon (21 January 2018). "Five times Babu Owino has been on the news for wrong reasons". Nairobi News.
- ^ "Babu Owino Promises Varsity Students HELB Increment". Campus Radio Kenya. 16 August 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
- ^ "Kisumu Boys High School". kisumuboyshigh.com. 29 October 2009. Archived from the original on 14 July 2020.
- ^ Kimani, Sheila. "Babu Owino posts his academic prowess on social media and his followers have something to say about it". Standard Digital News. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
- ^ a b Ken, Wesley (5 April 2016). "Why Babu Owino keeps succeeding himself in SONU". Business Today Kenya. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
- ^ Karanja, Faith. "MP Owino leads in recount of votes, new report shows". The Standard. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
- ^ "Babu Owino's statement on getting 20 children in one hour excites KOT – Nairobi News". nairobinews.nation.africa. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
- ^ a b "Babu Owino to be charged with attempted murder, possession of weapon in a public place, use of government weapon to terrorist the citizen". Nation. 17 January 2020.
- ^ Ogila, Japheth (20 January 2020). "Babu Owino pleads not guilty to attempted murder of DJ Evolve". The Standard.
- ^ Reporter, Capital (17 January 2020). "MP Babu Owino arrested for shooting a DJ at B-Club » Capital News". Capital News.
- ^ Nyasuguta, Faith (28 January 2020). "Babu Owino released from Industrial Area remand after depositing Sh2.5m". The Star.
- ^ Junior, Mireri (27 January 2020). "Reprieve for Babu as court releases him on Sh10 million cash bail". The Standard.
- ^ Adhiambo, Mercy; Maina, Kamore. "Inside story on dawn shooting of Dj Evolve". Standard Entertainment and Lifestyle.
- ^ "DJ Evolve's mother Mary Hongo dies".
- ^ Gitonga, Samuel (17 January 2020). "CCTV Footage Showing Babu Owino Shooting DJ Emerges". Business Today Kenya.
- ^ Ndungu, Tony. "CCTV footage believed to be from Babu Owino gun drama". Citizentv.co.ke.
- ^ Muthoni, Kamau (16 December 2021). "From Sh17m bill to house: Inside 18-page deal that set Babu Owino free". The Standard.
- ^ a b c Guyo, Kaltum (19 December 2021). "Babu Owino and the broken system". Nation.
- ^ a b c Gathara, Patrick (17 December 2021). "GATHARA: Dropping charge against Babu Owino repugnant to justice, morality". The Star.
- ^ Mboga, Jael (16 December 2021). "Babu Owino welcomes court deal to resolve matters with DJ Evolve". The Standard.
- ^ Walter, Dzuya (28 January 2020). "Babu Owino freed after paying Ksh.2.5M cash bail". Citizen Digital.
- ^ Ng'ang'a, Grace (3 March 2020). "Relief for Babu Owino as court reviews bail terms". The Standard.
- ^ Ambani, Sylvania (7 September 2021). "Babu Owino on the spot over 'nasty' call to journalist". Nairobi News.
- ^ Wangari, Stephanie (7 September 2021). "Senior Citizen TV Editor Exposes Threatening Texts From Babu Owino". Kenyans.co.ke.
- ^ Marita, Bosco (7 September 2021). "MP Babu Owino threatens Citizen TV editor for allegedly airing 'negative' news about Raila". K24 TV.
- ^ Murimi, James (23 October 2017). "Babu Owino insults cause me no sleepless nights – Uhuru". The Star.
- ^ Wakaya, Jeremiah (25 September 2017). "MP Babu Owino arrested after remarks targeting Uhuru » Capital News". Capital News.
- ^ Ombati, Cyrus (25 September 2017). "Embakasi East MP Babu Owino arrested for insulting President Uhuru". The Standard.
- ^ Matheka, Benson (28 September 2017). "Babu Owino charged with harming voter on election day – PHOTOS". Nairobi News.
- ^ Agutu, Nancy; Wambulwa, Annette (28 September 2017). "Babu Owino charged with grievous harm, using force in election". The Star.
- ^ Gitonga, Wahome (19 January 2018). "Babu Owino arrested for assaulting parking attendant". Citizentv.co.ke.
- ^ Kagera, Eddy (15 January 2018). "Babu Owino addresses claims of assaulting parking attendant". Nairobi News.
- ^ Osoro, William. "VIDEO: Babu Owino denies assaulting parking attendant". The Standard (Kenya).
- ^ Musyoka, Michael (15 January 2018). "Babu Owino Explains Video of Bodyguards Beating Up Parking Attendant". Kenyans.co.ke.
- ^ Otieno, Rawlings (10 October 2017). "MPs Babu Owino, Jaguar directed to apologize over fighting in Parliament". The Standard.
- ^ Obuya, Edwin (20 November 2018). "MPs Babu Owino, Jaguar ordered to apologise over fight at Parliament". Citizentv.co.ke.