How government-backed bloggers are creating tension in Linda Mwananchi

Babu Owino, the Embakasi East Member of Parliament, announced on Tuesday that he will no longer attend all Linda Mwananchi rallies. The reason behind this change is that he plans to focus more on popularizing his gubernatorial bid in Nairobi. During a press conference, Owino stressed that he will still support Linda Mwananchi but must balance his involvement in the movement with his gubernatorial campaign.

With Nairobi having 85 wards and millions of registered voters, he recognizes the need to engage and mobilize them ahead of the 2027 General Election. While he will continue attending some Linda Mwananchi rallies, Owino might skip others depending on his Nairobi campaign schedule. He emphasized his commitment to delivering Nairobi to Linda Mwananchi and urged Nairobians to vote for him, citing his record as an Embakasi East MP.

This shift in focus comes as Owino aims to balance his role within Linda Mwananchi and his aspirations to become Nairobi governor in the upcoming election. Other candidates, such as James Gakuya and Tony Gachoka, have also entered the race, while the incumbent governor, Johnson Sakaja, remains confident of re-election.