IN SHORT: The graphic circulating on Facebook falsely claims the Embakasi East representative made an ethnic slur against Irungu Nyakera, a potential rival in the race to govern Kenya’s capital in 2027. But the quote is a fabrication.
A “breaking news” graphic circulating on Facebook attributes a quote to Kenyan lawmaker Paul Ongili Owino, popularly known as Babu Owino.
The quote reads: “So Irungu Nyakera wants to be Nairobi Governor? My friend, Nairobi does not elect Kikuyus, go be Governor of Murang'a. This city can't be run by someone who only understands wholesale bananas and hawking in Gikomba!”
The graphic features Nation Africa’s branding and replicates the layout of the Kenyan publication’s typical news alerts, suggesting that Nation Africa is the publisher.
Irungu Nyakera is the former chair of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) board. Nyakera and Owino are among the leaders eyeing the Nairobi governor seat in the 2027 general elections.
Owino is from the Luo community, one of Kenya’s major ethnic groups. The Luo primarily live around the shores of Lake Victoria in western Kenya. Nyakera comes from the Kikuyu community, which is the largest ethnic group in the country. They mainly inhabit the Mount Kenya region in central Kenya.
The two communities have had political tensions that go back decades.
Although Nairobi is ethnically diverse and home to people from all over the country, the capital has not had a Kikuyu governor since the introduction of a devolved government in 2013. Past governors have been Evans Kidero from the Luo community and Mike Sonko from the Kamba community. The incumbent, Johnson Sakaja, is from the Luhya community.
Owino is the MP for Embakasi East constituency in the capital, having been first elected in August 2017 and re-elected in 2022. Known for his bold style and strong grassroots support, he is a contender for the 2027 gubernatorial race.
Nyakera hails from Murang’a county in central Kenya, 85 kilometres from Nairobi. He is an experienced technocrat. In 2015, when he was 33, he became Kenya’s youngest-ever principal secretary, first in the transport ministry and then in the devolution and planning ministry.
Nyakera leads the Farmers Party in Kenya and unsuccessfully vied to be Murang’a governor in 2022, positioning himself as a youthful national leader.
This graphic also appears here and here. (Note: See more instances at the end of this report.)
But is it legitimate? We checked.
Fake graphic
If Owino had said this, it would have been widely reported by credible news outlets given his national profile. There is no public record of him making such a statement.
The font used in the graphic also looks different from that usually used in graphics published by the Nation on social media. It further does not appear on the publication’s official Facebook or X accounts, where such digital cards are usually shared.
A closer look at Nation Africa’s Facebook page revealed that since 21 April 2025, the publication no longer uses the simple orange “N” logo seen in the graphic. Instead, their current graphics prominently display the Daily Nation branding against a blue background.
Owino posted the graphic on his official Facebook and Instagram accounts, with the word “FAKE” stamped on it.
“When I see such FAKE NEWS from UNWORTHY opponents then I know that the future is Transparent. They have dug their political graves and we will help them plant flowers after their burial,” he wrote.
The fake graphic was also published here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
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