Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has launched a scathing attack on the government’s bottom-up economic model, dismissing it as a scheme that enriches the powerful while leaving ordinary citizens with mere crumbs.

Speaking during a church service at Jesus Teaching Ministry (JTM) on Sunday, August 24, 2025, Babu Owino argued that the much-touted economic approach has been distorted to benefit leaders at the expense of the very hustlers it was meant to uplift. He accused the government of taking resources from ordinary Kenyans only for them to be consumed at the top.

“Hii bottom up ina maana mbili, Maana ya kwanza ya bottom up ni kuchukua pesa ya wananchi wa Kenya kule chini kisha iliwe kule juu State House, iibiwe kule juu.” Babu Owino said

According to the vocal legislator, the second meaning of the slogan is equally deceptive, as it only presents an illusion of empowerment. He cited examples where youth are mobilised in the name of support, only to be left with nothing tangible in return.

“Maana ya pili ya bottom up, chukua vijana kutoka kwa mtaa, chukua vijana kutoka Soweto, chukua vijana kutoka Nairobi na wamama na wazee, wapeleke State House. Wametoka bottom wameingia up.” babu owino explained

Exploitative nature

Babu mocked tokenistic initiatives where young people are handed motorbikes as symbols of empowerment. He broke down the math, arguing that such efforts are exploitative.

“Chukua vijana hao wakiwa hamsini hamsini alafu wapatie motorbike. Saa hii, hiyo motorbike the lowest ni 100,000, ukidivide wale vijana hamsini kila mtu anatoka na elfu mbili. Je, ni bottom up kweli, hiyo ni ungwana?” he posed.

His sentiments tap into a growing frustration among Kenyans who feel the promises of the bottom-up economic model have not translated into meaningful change. Critics argue that the cost of living remains high, opportunities for youth are scarce, and the gap between the rich and the poor is widening.

Babu positioned himself as a voice for the common people, vowing to continue exposing what he termed the government’s hypocrisy. His remarks fuel the growing debate over the true impact of the model, a flagship pillar of President William Ruto’s campaign promises.

For many, Babu’s blunt critique echoes the daily struggles of millions of Kenyans grappling with economic hardship, raising doubts over whether the bottom-up model represents genuine empowerment or mere political rhetoric.