Babu Owino Condemns Ruto-Sakaja Pact as Unconstitutional
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has fiercely condemned the recent cooperation agreement between President William Ruto and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, labeling it a "hostile takeover" of key county functions by the national government.
He accused the deal of being illegally executed and unconstitutional, particularly because it transfers responsibilities in critical areas such as roads, water supply, street lighting, and garbage collection without prior public participation. Owino argued that signing the pact first and only consulting residents afterward undermines the spirit of devolution and betrays the trust Nairobians placed in their governor.
The agreement, which includes an additional Ksh 80 billion injection from the national government to improve service delivery in housing, roads, water, and waste management, establishes a joint steering committee led by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi. While Ruto and Sakaja have defended it as a lawful collaboration rather than a full transfer of powers, Owino dismissed both administrations as incompetent, warning that the move could spawn "new corruption" instead of solving Nairobi's longstanding service challenges. He also pledged to table a dossier demanding accountability for the county's own-source revenue, amid claims that Sakaja has surrendered Nairobians' mandate to central authorities.
Opposition voices, including Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, have echoed concerns over procedural flaws, such as limited public input and an imbalanced committee structure favoring national appointees, effectively reducing the governor's role. Owino, who has declared interest in the Nairobi gubernatorial race in 2027, vowed to fight the arrangement and restore proper devolved governance if elected.
