Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has promised to clean up Nairobi, tackle corruption, improve roads and expand employment opportunities if elected governor in the 2027 General Election.
Owino made the pledges during remarks on Sunday, presenting his gubernatorial bid as an opportunity to restore the capital’s dignity and improve service delivery.
Drawing from the biblical parable of the bags of gold in Matthew 25:14-30 and the parable of the minas in Luke 19:11-27, the legislator argued that elected leaders should demonstrate what they have achieved with the mandate given to them by voters.
He cited his election victories in 2017 and 2022 as evidence of the trust residents had placed in him, saying he had responded by supporting development in Embakasi East Constituency.
“The great people of Embakasi constituency, you gave me an opportunity. You gave me cities to manage. I managed your cities.
“You gave me your votes in 2017 and 2022. And I gave you roads. You gave me your votes, and I gave you water. You gave me your votes, and I gave you new schools. You gave me your votes, and I gave you opportunities to do business and an enabling environment to do business.
“And I also gave you buses in every school in Embakasi East constituency. You gave me your votes, and I gave you bursaries,” Owino said.
He said his administration would prioritise cleanliness, infrastructure, water supply and job creation, promising to address problems that have continued to affect residents and businesses across the city.
“If you vote for me as your governor in 2027, if you give me your votes, I will give you a clean city. I will give you a city that is free from garbage.
“If you give me your votes, I will give you a city that is free from corruption. If you give me your votes, I will give you a city that is full of roads, well-constructed roads.
“If you give me your votes in 2027, I will give you water, clean and fresh water. If you give me your votes, I will give you jobs,” he said.
The pledges come as Nairobi continues to face significant urban management challenges, including waste disposal, traffic congestion and pressure on basic services.
A Kenya National Bureau of Statistics report cited in May 2026 indicated that Nairobi collected only 33.2 per cent of the solid waste it generated in 2025, highlighting the scale of the city’s waste management challenge. The county has since intensified clean-up operations, although garbage collection remains a central concern in public discussions about service delivery.
Traffic congestion also continues to affect commuters, businesses and public transport operators, with pressure on road capacity and transport management contributing to delays across the capital.
Owino criticised the current management of Nairobi, accusing its top leaders of failing to use the opportunities entrusted to them effectively. He also alleged that Nairobi residents’ land had been taken over, without providing details in his remarks.
“We gave an opportunity to some of our brothers (Johnson Sakaja), but just like the third servant, he did not invest. Instead, the whole of Nairobi is in his hands. He has taken over all of Nairobians' lands,” he said.
He pledged to support women struggling to access business capital and families facing financial difficulties, saying his leadership would seek to restore residents’ dignity.
“I will restore the dignity of Nairobi. We will take care of women who have no business money. We will take care of fathers who have no money or drugs. We will take care of people who have problems,” Owino said.
He concluded by declaring himself the right candidate for the governor’s position as political leaders begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 elections.