A political rivalry dating back to 2016 may have played a role in the recent gun drama involving social media commentator Robert Alai and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.
Sources familiar with the two contend that the tension began when Babu Owino sought a second parliamentary term.
After ODM leader Raila Odinga reportedly advised Babu not to challenge Tim Wanyonyi in Westlands, Babu explored other constituencies including Mathare, Lang’ata, Kibra, and Ruaraka.
Most were already secured by party favorites, forcing him to settle on Embakasi East – the same seat Robert Alai had been eyeing.
At the time, Alai, who was Nyayo Residents Association chairman, launched a series of personal attacks on Babu via his blog, attempting to discredit him politically.
Raila Odinga’s intervention to halt the attacks reportedly deepened Alai’s resentment, leading him to shelve his parliamentary ambitions and support Uhuru Kenyatta’s second term out of spite.
Following Babu’s election as MP, the dispute escalated, with the legislator accusing Alai of land grabbing during his Nyayo tenure.
Babu alleged Alai had seized plots meant for public use, established businesses, and extorted bar owners in Kileleshwa.
Whether Babu recovered the land remains unclear, but Alai’s influence continued to diminish, leading him to abandon other political ambitions by 2022 and eventually pursue an MCA seat.
Meanwhile, Babu consolidated his position in Embakasi East and began discussing succession politics, including potential successors for Raila Odinga.
Alai, now a TUTAM soloist, reportedly harbors resentment over Babu’s rise, which some observers say underpins his antagonism.
Political analysts note that while Babu’s rise has fueled Alai’s frustration, the MP himself holds no personal grudge.
The recent gun drama, therefore, may be less about Babu’s actions and more about a lingering vendetta rooted in years of political disappointment and rivalry.