Nairobi County Chief Officer Geoffrey Mosiria has questioned Embakasi East MP Babu Owino over social media reports surrounding the health of ODM Party Leader Oburu Oginga.
Mosiria, in a strongly worded Facebook post, accused Babu of sending bloggers to circulate claims about Oburu's death while simultaneously wishing the veteran politician a quick recovery.
Mosiria said he was speaking to Babu as a friend and former comrade from their days at the University of Nairobi, where they served together in the Students Organisation of Nairobi University (SONU).
Mosiria questions Babu over bloggers
Mosiria specifically mentioned blogger Maverick Aoko and questioned the apparent contradiction between posts circulating online and Babu's own public message.
“Why on earth do you send your blogger, Maverick Aoko, and other bloggers to wish someone who is alive dead, then, on your Facebook platform, you wish that person a quick recovery?”
He further questioned whether such tactics were part of political manoeuvring in the search for power.
“Is this how you look for power?”
Mosiria's claims about the alleged coordination between Babu and bloggers have not been independently verified.
Mosiria recalls Raila Odinga's illness
The Nairobi official also drew parallels between the current situation involving Oburu and the period when the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga was ill.
According to Mosiria, Babu publicly wished Raila a quick recovery at the time, while some bloggers were allegedly circulating reports claiming that Raila had died.
“When Baba was sick, you wished him a quick recovery while your bloggers said he was dead. Now it’s Oburu: you have wished him a quick recovery while he is sick, on the other hand your bloggers are posting that he is dead.”
Mosiria said the situation was particularly concerning because Raila later died.
'It happened with Baba'
Mosiria went further, alleging that political celebrations followed Raila's death and suggesting that a similar political script was now being played out around Oburu.
“It happened with Baba, and we later lost him. You celebrated in Kasarani with hired goons. Now you have started the same script with youth leader Oburu, using the same bloggers led by Maverick Aoko.”
The allegation that Babu or his associates orchestrated the posts has not been independently established.
Mosiria issues warning to Babu
Mosiria then issued a warning to his former university comrade, saying that those responsible for spreading death claims about living people should be held accountable.
“I want to warn my good friend Babu that if anything happens to the youth leader following your bloggers’ posts wishing him dead, Kenyans shall hold you liable, as a lesson to others who wish people who are still alive dead using bloggers.”
His comments come amid heightened attention surrounding reports about Oburu's health and social media claims alleging that the ODM leader had died.
Oburu's office dismisses death reports
Oburu's secretariat has dismissed reports of his death as false, saying that the ODM leader is alive and recovering.
The office urged Kenyans to disregard unverified reports circulating on social media and rely on official communication concerning his health.
The controversy has also drawn reactions from political leaders and members of the public, with calls for restraint in the dissemination of information concerning the health of public figures.
Mosiria wishes Oburu quick recovery
Despite the political accusations contained in his message, Mosiria concluded by sending a message of goodwill to Oburu.
“Youth leader Oburu I wish you a quick recovery!”
