By Correspondent
The optics of the encounter matter. Embakasi East MP Paul Ongili (Babu Owino) has, in recent months, been a headline figure — alternating between courtroom drama, high-profile protests, and populist initiatives — and any meeting he holds with a retired security elite is bound to attract attention.
Social posts and local pages flagged a “lengthy” closed-door discussion between Babu and Fazul Mohamed, the former Director-General of the Private Security Regulatory Authority, and that lone report quickly multiplied across platforms.
The immediate effect was a swirl of speculation: strategy for the Nairobi governorship? Security briefings? A new campaign alliance?
According to former Westlands MP and one-time Minister for Regional Development Fred Gumo, the Babu Owino–Fazul meeting may have been intended to win the support of the Somali community in Nairobi.
“For a long time, members of the Somali community have not been very active in Nairobi politics. I can see Babu Owino trying to use Fazul to bring them on board for his campaign for the Nairobi seat. Remember, these people are also financially well-organized and can make a major impact on city politics,” Gumo says.
On his part, Babu Owino said they met as former university student leaders with several common interests.
“First, we met as former university student leaders, and we enjoyed a ‘mentally challenging’ game of chess during our interaction. We discussed several issues, and politics was just one of them,” Babu said.
Timing has amplified the story. The meeting surfaced days after Babu had recently joined Gen-Z anniversary protests in downtown Nairobi — a visible act of solidarity that many saw as a deliberate alignment with youth activists and a sharp rebuke to the government.
The meeting also came at a time when Babu had expressed concerns that his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party may deny him the ticket to vie for the Nairobi gubernatorial seat to challenge incumbent Johnson Sakaja, who is believed to be favoured by President William Ruto and the late Raila Odinga’s broad-based government alliance.
It is also not lost that during the funeral proceedings of the late Raila, sections of mourners were heard chanting pro-Babu Owino slogans — a move that appeared not to go down well with some ODM honchos.
Babu Owino has been one of the youthful lawmakers, including Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba, and Saboti MP Caleb Amisi, behind the Kenya Moja Movement that advocates for generational change.
For Nairobi’s politically engaged, the confluence of Babu’s street mobilization, the loss of his protection, and this discreet meeting reads like a turning point.
Two types of excitement are visible. First is tactical curiosity: what was discussed, and why a former PSRA boss? Fazul Mohamed’s background in private security regulation gives him credibility on matters of protection, risk management, and the private security sector — all relevant to an MP who publicly says he fears for his safety after taking provocative stances.
Observers are asking whether Babu sought technical advice on personal security, vetted allies among private security firms, or explored ways to professionalize constituency security efforts without state detail. The social media chatter that first reported the meeting framed it in security terms, which made this line of inquiry plausible.
Second is political dramaturgy: Nairobi thrives on symbolism. A closed meeting between a combative MP and a former security chief lends itself to interpretations that go beyond logistics.
Opposition supporters see it as Babu shoring up professional defenses for a protracted political campaign; detractors fret about shadowy networking with security figures; neutral observers wonder whether the meeting is the opening move of a broader coalition-building exercise that could reshape Nairobi’s politics into a more structured force.
“The meeting thus functions as both a practical consultation and a signal — intentionally or not — that Babu is preparing for a sustained role in the city’s political theatre,” says Martin Andati, a political analyst.
He says what makes Nairobi particularly reactive is the city’s dense political ecosystem. Activists, politicians, and private security companies are packed into a small geography — and every handshake is scanned for meaning.
When an MP celebrated by young protestors also consults a former regulator, it creates cross-cutting narratives that appeal to different constituencies: safety to older voters, organization to political operatives, and momentum to the youth. That multiplicity of audiences explains why the story ballooned quickly on platforms that feed Nairobi’s news cycle.
For Babu, consulting an experienced security figure reduces personal risk and may professionalize his team — sensible given the withdrawal of state protection.
For Fazul, the meeting is a re-entry into visible public life, and his network within the Somali community in Nairobi could be of political advantage to Babu Owino.
The meeting came a day after acting ODM leader Dr. Oburu Odinga had assured Babu that the party will not deny him the Nairobi gubernatorial ticket if he wins the nominations.
Speaking during an interview on Ramogi TV, Dr. Oburu dismissed claims that ODM could lock out Babu for allegedly opposing the party’s dalliance with President Ruto, saying he sees no reason why the youthful MP should be worried about his chances.
“I do not see anything wrong with Babu Owino, although I hear there are some issues that may be troubling him,” said Dr. Oburu.
