Babu Owino stood firm amid the chaos at Ufungamano House on Friday morning. As police moved in to shut down the parallel ODM faction meeting known as Linda Mwananchi, the Embakasi East MP turned a tense standoff into something far more unexpected.
Instead of escalating the confrontation, he looked the officers straight in the eye and asked a question that cut through the noise.
Why were they disrupting a gathering that was actually fighting for the police officers’ own rights?The scene unfolded as leaders from the Linda Mwananchi group, including Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Siaya Governor James Orengo and others, pushed past heavy police presence to access the venue.
Officers had sealed off entrances and blocked supporters from entering, creating moments of high tension. Yet when Babu Owino addressed the police directly, the atmosphere shifted.
He pointed out the irony of the situation without hesitation.”Polisi wanakuja hapa kuleta fujo, ilhali sisi tunapigania haki zao,” he said. He reminded them that many officers live in worse conditions than ordinary Kenyans, often in slums made of iron sheets, known locally as nyumba za mikebe.
He questioned why they would come to beat people who were advocating for affordable housing units promised under the national program, including plans for police housing.
“Tukisema wapewe affordable housing, ni mbaya au ni jambo zuri? Wanakuja hapa kutupiga, kwa nini?”His words carried weight because they highlighted a shared struggle.
Police officers, tasked with maintaining order, often face the same housing shortages and economic pressures as the citizens they serve.
By framing the meeting as one that could benefit them too, Babu Owino appealed to their lived reality rather than issuing threats or demands.
The approach seemed to disarm the immediate aggression. Negotiations followed, and the gathering was allowed to continue without further major disruption.This moment reflects deeper fractures within ODM.
The Linda Mwananchi faction has been holding its own National Delegates Convention in defiance of the main party events.
Leaders insist they remain committed to ODM but reject what they see as flawed processes in the rival camp. Babu Owino made it clear they have no intention of forming a new party.
In the end, what could have ended in clashes became a brief dialogue. Babu Owino’s direct challenge exposed the contradictions in the standoff and left many wondering how often security forces find themselves enforcing orders that may not serve their own interests.
The incident adds another layer to Kenya’s ongoing political tensions, where even routine party meetings can spark questions about power, loyalty and everyday hardships.