Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has stirred fresh turbulence within the Orange Democratic Movement after alleging that Embakasi East MP Babu Owino angrily banged a table in front of the late party leader Raila Odinga when he missed out on the powerful Public Accounts Committee chairmanship.
Speaking during a live interview on Radio 47’s Breakfast 47 programme on Tuesday, Passaris claimed the incident occurred after internal parliamentary negotiations denied Mr Owino the PAC seat, a position traditionally reserved for the opposition and regarded as one of the most influential oversight roles in the National Assembly.
“Babu Owino aligongea Raila Odinga meza baada ya kunyimwa the PAC chairmanship,” she said, alleging that the MP also sent strongly worded messages to the veteran opposition leader. “Ndiyo maana hata siku za mwisho za Raila, Babu Owino hakuwa anaonekana kwa meetings za ODM.”
Her remarks, delivered in a measured but pointed tone, have reopened debate about simmering succession battles within ODM following Mr Odinga’s death.
The party, which for decades revolved around Mr Odinga’s authority, has been grappling with internal realignments as younger leaders seek to consolidate influence.
When pressed during the interview on whether she personally witnessed the alleged confrontation, Passaris described the episode as widely known within party ranks and referred to what she termed text exchanges between Mr Owino and Mr Odinga.
The Public Accounts Committee has historically been a strategic perch for opposition politics.
Its chairperson scrutinises government spending and tables reports that often shape national accountability debates.
In past parliaments, ODM has fought fiercely to retain control of the committee, seeing it as a lever against the Executive.
Mr Owino has previously voiced frustration over what he considers systematic sidelining in party and parliamentary appointments despite his high-profile mobilisation for ODM during the 2017 and 2022 campaigns.
He has publicly declared his interest in holding senior leadership roles, arguing that generational change within the party is inevitable.
Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai weighed in shortly after Passaris’ remarks circulated online, posting on X that Mr Odinga “died cursing Babu” and dismissing the notion that Mr Owino is the natural successor to the former premier.
The post intensified an already heated online exchange among ODM supporters.
Political analysts say the timing of the accusations is significant.
With ODM navigating its place within the evolving “broad-based” government arrangement and recalibrating its opposition strategy, any suggestion of past disrespect towards Mr Odinga carries heavy symbolic weight among the party’s grassroots base.
Mr Owino has not issued a public response to the claims.
The clip from Radio 47 has since gone viral, drawing thousands of reactions and exposing deep divisions among ODM loyalists.
Some have demanded evidence to substantiate the allegations, while others argue that internal disputes should be resolved within party organs rather than through media exchanges.
For a party built on Mr Odinga’s towering political persona, the unfolding spat underscores the fragile transition from personality-driven politics to a contested post-Raila era. Whether the latest claims harden factional lines or force a public reconciliation remains to be seen.
