Babu Owino addresses claims of banging Raila’s table and disrespecting him

Embassy East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has refuted allegations that he hurled a table during a meeting over his frustration with the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's stance on his political ambitions. In an interview on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, Owino insisted that he never disrespected the late Odinga, whom he considered a political mentor and elder he held in high regard.

He clarified that the meeting, which included other ODM leaders such as George Aladwa, Mark Mwenje, Julius Mawathe, Anthony Oluoch, Peter Orero, and Jalang’o, took place without any incident of Owino banging a table in anger towards Raila Odinga. "The meeting had Aladwa, Mwenje, Mawathe, Oluoch, Orero, and Jalango," Owino stated.

"I never banged a table on Baba Raila Odinga. Baba was my leader, and I deeply respect our elders." He further denied that Raila publicly accused him of disrespecting him while the former leader was alive, arguing that such claims were being made posthumously. "If there had been a problem between us, you never heard Baba say, even once, in a public rally that I had disrespected him," he added.

Owino asserted that some individuals were exploiting Raila's death to make unsubstantiated allegations and present their interpretations of past events involving the former ODM leader. He noted that many people had recently come forward claiming that Raila had shared various stories with them, making it challenging to verify the authenticity of some allegations about their interactions.

Owino's clarification follows recent claims by Calvin Okoth, known as Gaucho, who said Raila had told him that Owino had banged a table after being denied the chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Gaucho claimed that Raila had told him about Owino's frustration and ambition for the presidency during the incident. The allegations emerged amid renewed discussions about Owino's relationship with Raila and his political aspirations following the former prime minister's death.

Raila's former aide Dennis Onyango had previously claimed that the late ODM leader viewed Owino as a potential threat to his political base. Onyango explained that Raila saw Owino as impatient and was concerned about his rapid advancement in politics, which threatened to outpace other politicians who had been waiting in line within the political succession associated with the Jaramogi legacy.

Onyango stated that Raila felt that Owino's swift political rise could put him in an awkward position, particularly given the presence of other leaders also vying for positions within the succession structure. Nonetheless, Owino dismissed the characterization of Raila's alleged opinion of him as accurate, reaffirming his commitment to pursuing his political ambitions despite the claims made about his relationship with the late ODM leader.