Let’s Meet In Court, Sakaja – Babu Owino Defies Governor’s 6-Hour Ultimatum Over Eastleigh Building

Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has dared Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to meet him in court, saying he will not apologise over his remarks on the Eastleigh building collapse.

In a strongly worded Facebook post shared today, Babu said:

“Let’s meet in court, SAKAJA. I will not apologise to a man who has destroyed the lives of Nairobians. He MUST answer for the suffering of Nairobians. People are dying. Families are living in agony, and Nairobians remain trapped beneath a collapsed building.”

He added that Nairobians deserve answers, accountability and justice, not excuses and attempts to silence those demanding answers.

The latest standoff comes after Governor Sakaja issued a six-hour ultimatum to Babu Owino on Sunday, October 25, demanding he delete social media posts linking him to the approval of the multi-storey building that collapsed in Eastleigh.

Through his lawyers, Sakaja argued that the posts published at around 1:27 pm on Sunday were misleading and defamatory, and had damaged his professional reputation and public image. The lawyers demanded immediate removal of the posts, warning that failure to comply would lead to court action.

At the centre of the dispute is the approval status of the building that collapsed on Friday, October 23, along Yusuf Haji Avenue, 9th Street in Eastleigh.

Babu Owino claims that county records show the development was approved on February 13, 2024, under application number PLUPA-COU-000821-N. He published a document titled Notification of Approval of Application which shows the proposed project had 35 residential units, a restaurant, mosque and shops on parcel LR No. 36/11/40. He further alleged that KSh 120 million was paid as a bribe to facilitate the approval.

However, the bribery allegation remains a claim made by the MP and has not been independently verified.

Governor Sakaja has disputed Babu’s claims. According to Sakaja, Nairobi City County approved only a change of use for the property from residential to residential-commercial on October 17, 2024, but never approved architectural plans for the construction of the building. He said the developer applied to build a 15-floor building with a basement, but the structure had risen to 18 floors by the time it collapsed.

The governor also released police reports from July 16 showing enforcement action had been taken against the site, and said suspects were arrested but later released on KSh 50,000 bail.

Meanwhile, rescue operations at the site are still ongoing. According to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, 67 construction workers were on site at the time of collapse, with 66 escaping unhurt and one injured. Seven people were initially reported missing, while the Kenya Red Cross said it had recorded 31 missing-person reports and was verifying them. Two people have so far been rescued alive after more than 24 hours under the rubble.

Babu now says he will not be intimidated and will not allow the tragedy to be swept under the carpet.

“If you have nothing to hide, answer the hard questions. We shall meet in court,” he said.

The political clash has turned the Eastleigh tragedy into a major accountability battle in Nairobi, with both leaders trading accusations as families continue to wait for their loved ones.

Source: Babu Owino – https://www.facebook.com/reel/1159950840300567/?app=fbl

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