Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has issued his strongest warning yet over Kenya’s worsening economic situation, signalling that youth-led protests could erupt if the rising cost of living goes unchecked. His remarks, delivered publicly and during the ODM 20th-anniversary celebrations in Mombasa, indicate growing frustrations among ordinary Kenyans grappling with inflation, high taxes, and rising prices of essential goods.
Owino, a vocal figure within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), reiterated that the spirit of resistance remains alive within the party even in the absence of former party leader Raila Odinga. “To Baba the great, we want to tell our people to rise – rise with courage, rise with conviction, rise with strength to fight because we know we are stronger than our oppressors,” he declared, invoking past waves of demonstrations against economic hardship and electoral injustice.
He directly addressed Odinga in a repeated message that has since stirred national debate: “Baba siku ya leo, gharama ya maisha ikienda juu tutaenda maandamano, wapende wasipende.”
(“Baba, if today the cost of living goes up, we shall demonstrate whether they like it or not.”)
The MP expressed concern that inflation and rising prices of essentials including food and fuel are pushing households to the brink. Analysts warn that these pressures disproportionately affect young Kenyans, already struggling with unemployment and stagnant incomes. Owino’s remarks, therefore, reflect a broader sense of anger among the youth, many of whom have been at the forefront of recent national protests.
Beyond economic concerns, Owino’s remarks also exposed simmering tensions within ODM. He openly questioned recent party appointments, including Oburu Odinga’s elevation to party leader, asserting that the youth deserve stronger representation and that he himself is capable of offering that leadership.
Political observers suggest that Owino’s dual message is a warning to government and a challenge within ODM. Therefore, signals the beginning of heightened political activity ahead of the 2027 general election. With Kenya’s youth forming the majority of the population yet struggling to gain political influence, the coming years will test whether their mobilization can meaningfully reshape national politics or fade into the cyclical patterns of past protests.
