ODM headache in the city as MPs publicly back Babu Owino
The ODM party in Kenya is facing internal friction regarding the selection of a Nairobi gubernatorial candidate. Several MPs have publicly endorsed Babu Owino, despite the party's Nairobi chairman George Aladwa also seeking the seat.
Why it matters
Internal party divisions in major political parties can significantly impact the stability and electoral success of the ruling or opposition coalitions in Kenya's capital.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino addresses journalists outside the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters in Nairobi on August 18, 2026.
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) faces a difficult task in determining its candidate for the Nairobi governorship after a section of MPs publicly backed Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, who is aligned with the Linda Mwananchi faction.
This is despite second-term Makadara MP George Aladwa, who is the party’s Nairobi County chairman, declaring his bid to unseat Governor Johnson Sakaja.
Makadara MP and ODM Nairobi branch chairperson George Aladw George Aladwa addresses delegates during the party's branch meeting at Pumwani Grounds in Nairobi on November 12, 2025.
Mr Sakaja is also said to be weighing his options of seeking the top county seat on an ODM ticket, even as UDA and ODM plan to share political positions and consolidate their dominance in the capital.
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