ODM Calls for Impartial Police Probe Into Owino–Alai Altercation

Members of the Orange Democratic Movement have called for an impartial police investigation into an altercation involving Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai.

The incident occurred on Saturday night at a hotel in Kilimani and involves two senior ODM figures. Police are reviewing CCTV footage and witness statements to establish what happened. Kilimani OCPD Patricia Yegon confirmed that both men have recorded statements, and officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations are handling the case.

ODM legislators have stressed that the matter should be treated strictly as a law enforcement issue. Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo said the investigation must be thorough and unbiased, noting that unresolved incidents of political violence can weaken public confidence in democratic processes. 

National Assembly Minority Leader Millie Odhiambo and Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris also urged restraint and called on police to act professionally and without political pressure. Accounts of the confrontation differ sharply. 

Owino says he was attacked without provocation and claims the incident was linked to his opposition to any political accommodation between ODM and President William Ruto ahead of the 2027 General Election. He described the incident as a threat to his personal safety and said it was motivated by his political position.

Alai rejects this version of events. He says Owino approached him at the hotel despite his unwillingness to engage and became aggressive after he declined to speak. Alai has acknowledged that he was carrying a firearm but maintains that he did not draw it, stating that video footage will clarify the facts. 

He has also accused Owino of encouraging online attacks against his wife, an allegation Owino has denied. ODM leaders have sought to distance the party from the dispute, presenting it as a personal matter rather than an internal political conflict.