Nairobi gubernatorial aspirant Tony Gachoka has schooled Embakasi East Member of Parliament (MP) Babu Owino, even as the two are prepared to lock horns for the coveted seat.

Speaking exclusively with TV47’s Inea Debarl on Wednesday, October 8 night, Gachoka — who has indicated that he will be vying for the Nairobi Governor’s seat on a KANU Party ticket — said that he was looking forward to debating his rivals on ideologies and policies, rather than empty rhetoric.

“I am looking forward to the debate between Tony Gachoka, Arthur Johnson Sakaja, and a guy called Babu Owino. I look forward to this debates because I am running for the Nairobi Gubernatorial position,” Gachoka said.

According to Gachoka, Nairobi Gubernatorial will be a three-horse race between himself, the incumbent Sakaja and Babu. However, he picked issues with Babu, insinuating that the youthful legislator has displayed naivety, immaturity and catastrophic flip-flopping in his politics in the recent past.

Babu is one of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) lawmakers who are opposed to the party’s MoU with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) that metamorphosed into the Broad-based Government. Together with ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna, Babu has forged an alliance with Central Kenya lawmakers who are equally opposed to President Ruto’s re-election plan.

“My problem with Babu Owino is that today in the morning he is in Wiper, he endorses Kalonzo Musyoka and Kalonzo endorses him. The next day he is with Gathoni Wamuchomba and Sifuna in Kenya Moja… and they are going to have a presidential candidate and they are going to run. Then he moves from there and he says ‘I can run as an independent’,” he said.

It is because of these recent moves by Babu that Gachoka now says that the vibrant MP is fence-sitting, the biggest mistake you can do as a politician.

“You know Babu Owino is younger. I would like to advice him to go home, rework your drawing table, and when you are sure, announce it. But don’t announce then go and plan. Becoming Governor of Nairobi is a serious business, you cannot do it on a fly. Even the people who want to support you like kina Kalonzo they are wondering what kind of a man are you,” he added.

He added: ” In terms of the side of the government, UDA and ODM, Sakaja will be their candidate. And I think in a Tony Gachoka – Johnson Sakaja race, it would be something worth Nairobians’ time.”

Gachoka also dissed other Nairobi gubernatorial aspirants who, according to him, are non-starters. For instance, Gachoka is of the opinion that Irungu Nyakera and Embakasi North MP James Gakuya stand no chance of mounting a serious gubernatorial challenge in 2027.

“Irungu Nyakera and James Gakuya thought that by entering Rigathi Gachagua’s DCP Party, there will be a wave and that wave will escalate them to national prominence,” Gachoka noted. “It doesn’t work that way.”