Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has officially endorsed Wiper Patriotic Front (WPF) leader Kalonzo Musyoka for the 2027 presidential race, describing him as the best hope to unseat President William Ruto.
Speaking on Monday, September 29, 2025, at the WPF headquarters in Karen, Babu told a gathering of over 700 student representatives from universities and TVET institutions that the next election would be a “protest vote” against UDA and Ruto’s government.
The ODM legislator, who has openly defied his party’s support for the Broad-Based Government, compared the current political climate to pivotal elections abroad and at home.
“In 2020, people turned out in the USA when Trump was serving his first term; they didn’t go to vote in Joe Biden, they went to vote out Trump. In 2002 in Kenya, people went to vote out Daniel Moi; they did not go to vote in Mwai Kibaki,” Babu said.
He questioned why Kalonzo is dismissed by critics simply for being in opposition:“When Kalonzo was in Azimio he was a good person. Now that he is in opposition, what makes him bad? What has Kalonzo missed so far? If I say Kalonzo tosha, now Babu is mbaya, mbaya what?”
The Embakasi East MP praised Kalonzo’s resilience in the 2022 elections, noting how the former Vice President dropped his own presidential bid to support Raila Odinga under Azimio la Umoja and campaigned tirelessly despite being sidelined for the running mate slot.
Babu urged the youth to take charge of the country’s future through voter registration:
“Comrades must register as voters so that we appoint Kalonzo. We must disappoint Ruto and appoint leadership that organizes this country instead of tabernizing it.”
On his part, Kalonzo welcomed Babu’s backing and urged the youth to vote in large numbers, calling them the “patriotic engine of change.”
“This country’s youth is very hungry for leadership change. They are patriotic and do not care about ethnic lines. Their voices will only be heard through the ballot,” Kalonzo said.
The Wiper leader also hinted at wooing Babu to his party amid growing rifts in ODM:
“Babu, if things look confusing in ODM and the larger Azimio coalition, I welcome you to Wiper,” he said.
Kalonzo vowed that, if elected, his administration would review key Kenya Kwanza policies, starting with the controversial Housing Levy and the Social Health Authority (SHA), which he says burden Kenyans unnecessarily.
By Jenipher Akoth
