How you treated me was inhumane – Babu speaks on arrest

How you treated me was inhumane – Babu speaks on arrest

He questioned how other Kenyans are usually treated if he was handled in such a manner.

In Summary

• He said the only mistake he made was to fight for the rights of Kenyans and if that is what is going to cost his life, so be it.

• The MP warned the government against mishandling leaders adding that it will make things worse.

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.
Image: FILE

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has spoken days after he was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit chaos or subversive activities.

Babu was arrested on July 18, evening around 8pm at JKIA.

The MP has condemned the government for how he was treated throughout the days he was arrested adding that it was inhumane.

According to Babu, he was handcuffed, blindfolded and thrown in a boot of a Subaru car.

He said he was driven in the middle of nowhere and put in a solitary consignment.

The MP added that for three days, he did not eat, drink water, take a shower nor allowed to see his family.

“For three days, I wasn’t given food, no access to my family, lawyers and legal representatives. I did not take a bath or water and that was a very inhumane treatment accorded to me,” he said.

He questioned how other Kenyans are usually treated if he as an MP was treated in such a manner.

“If a member of Parliament can be treated in such a harsh way, what is happening to normal Kenyans?” Babu posed.

He said the only mistake he made was to fight for the rights of Kenyans and if that is what is going to cost his life, so be it.

“I want to take this opportunity to condemn such acts. The only mistake I made was to fight for Kenyans. And as a leader, an elected member of Parliament I am a voice to the voiceless,” he said.

“I’m a messenger. You can kill the messenger but you can never kill the message. You can harass the messenger but you will never destroy the message that is delivered,” he said.

“If fighting for Kenyans is what will cost my life, so be it.”

He added that he is an elected Member of Parliament whose role is to fight for Kenyans.

“To fight for the downtrodden, people who are languishing in abject poverty and to ensure that I deliver the best to them. And that is what I have been doing,” Babu said.

“Since I was a student leader I was fighting for the interest of Kenyans and I will continue fighting for them. I will never be gagged.”

The MP warned the government against mishandling leaders adding that it will make things worse.

“What you are doing to me and other leaders will only catalyse this reaction. We will do it even better; we will ensure that we will never be intimidated or cowed,” Babu said.

He reiterated that life is unbearable and the cost of living, fuel, unga and other commodities must come down.

“A good leader is one that ensures that his people do not suffer. Subjecting people to these harsh conditions means that you are fighting for personal interest,” he said.