Nairobi pastor predicted Babu Owino election petition loss

A popular Nairobi pastor had predicted that Paul Ongili, better known as Babu Owino, would lose his parliamentary seat after the court ordered a recount and scrutiny of votes cast in last year’s Embakasi East MP election.

In a Facebook post dated February 13, 2018 Pastor Godfrey Migwi of the House of Hope church, said there was a plot to sabotage Babu Owino’s rising political star.

“Babu Owino is likely to lose his Embakasi seat following the petition filed by Francis Mureithi in court. Now the sad thing is that he may not regain it back,” says Migwi.

“A new entrant will emerge and take the day as the constituents of Embakasi East will have been done and dusted with the current form of politics,” he said, adding that Kenyan-Canadian lawyer Miguna Miguna would also be betrayed by his opposition colleagues.

On Friday, March 2, the High Court in Nairobi nullified the election Babu Owino as the Embakasi East Member of Parliament.

In his ruling Justice Joseph Sergon indicated that Babu Owino was not validly elected further directing that a by- election be conducted in accordance to the law.

The court further ordered that Babu Owino and IEBC pay the petitioner Francis Mureithi, Ksh.2.5 million each.

The ruling came after the High Court had earlier ordered a recount and scrutiny of votes on February 13, following a petition filed by Mr. Mureithi, his closest rival.

The recount report showed Babu Owino got 46,817 votes against the petitioner, Francis Mureithi, who garnered 42,501 votes.

Both Babu Owino and Francis Mureithi also registered an increase in votes after the recount was done.

In his February 13th Facebook post, Pastor Migwi said some top opposition figures were not pleased with the vigour with which Babu Owino and deported lawyer Miguna Miguna had been operating with.

Migwi claimed that some politicians from Odinga’s political backyard of Nyanza feel that Babu Owino and Miguna Miguna could overshadow them in Luo Land and inherit Luo politics.

However, speaking at the Milimani Law Courts on Friday, moments after Justice Joseph Sergon’s ruling, Babu Owino claimed that President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto influenced the court decision.

“I would like to state clearly that the whole nation knows what happened. The whole nation knows that this is a war between Babu Owino and President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto. The whole nation knows that I have been highly critical of the president and his deputy.”

“It is sad that the Executive is using its influence to arm-twist the Judiciary. What can’t kill you, can only make you stronger. If Uhuru and Ruto decide to come and vie in Embakasi East, I will beat them yesterday in the morning,” said Mr Owino.

Mr. Owino’s lawyer, Edwin Sifuna said plans were underway to appeal the ruling.