Babu Owino is emerging as a major instigator of change, pulsating across East Africa. This seems to have upset Yoweri Museveni, the president of Uganda who has held onto power for close to four decades, using draconian tactics to silence the opposition and assert his authoritarian regime.
Speaking in Nairobi during the endorsement of Raila Odinga for the AUC chairmanship, Yoweri publicly accused Babu of meddling in his country’s affairs in collaboration with the opposition.
“There are some individuals in Raila’s group who I don’t think know what they are doing. I am a consumer of intelligence services so I always see intelligence service reports,” he said.
“There is a character called Babu. I always see Babu dealing with anti-NRM groups. I have never accused him but now I am accusing him.”
Taking to X after Yoweri’s accusation, Babu did not mince his words criticizing the state of Uganda’s economy and the plight of the youth across the region.
“I thank President Museveni for supporting Baba’s bid for AUC Chairmanship. However, as a young leader in Kenya, having grown up in poverty, I know what it means to lack,” stated Owino.
“If you tell me that you’ve slept hungry, I know what it means to lack food because I’ve been through that. If you tell me that you lack school fees, I will feel you because I know what it is to lack school fees. Because of our challenges in Kenya and Africa, we as leaders are meant to provide solutions.”
He also bore holes to the political situation in Uganda and the travesty of democracy. “As Babu Owino, I stand for a democratic society where a child in Kenya will receive proper medication, and education and will equally get a job. Equally, a child in Uganda should receive the same treatment as a child in Kenya,” he noted.
“Because of this, we must offer alternative visions of leadership that will save Africans from the shackles of oppression and the jaws of poverty.”
Since the eruption of protests and popular youth uprising in Kenya, Babu has become vocal and more outspoken in his call for change. A stance that has been viewed in some quarters as a rebellion against the party, ODM, which has since had its members join the Kenya Kwanza cabinet.
During a tour of South Nyanza earlier this month, Babu said should Taila get the AU seat, he’d be the official opposition leader. He further accused the Kenya Kwanza government of gross misconduct and perpetuation of impunity in the country, which has caused economic stagnation where the youth are the biggest casualties.
Read also: Babu, the Youth’s Baba?
