Babu Owino: Ruto must begin an anti-corruption war within his inner circle
By Mabonga Makhanu, August 24, 2025Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has challenged President William Ruto to first deal with individuals within his close circle if he is serious about the fight against corruption.
Speaking during a church service in his constituency on Sunday, August 24, 2025, where he was joined by fellow Kenya Moja MPs, Babu Owino criticised the president’s recent remarks targeting the 13th Parliament as the epicentre of corruption.
The MP faulted Ruto for what he described as selective condemnation, adding that a tribunal to investigate graft across the country would be meaningless if those closest to the head of state remain untouchable.
“Mr President, before you fight corruption, you must start with your own house, with the people you walk with every day. When Kenyans look at you, they see corruption on the left, on the right, in front and behind. We want to see action, not empty pronouncements,” Owino said.
The outspoken legislator also raised concerns over billions of shillings allegedly lost through the eCitizen platform and questioned the accountability of Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja’s ‘Dishi na County’ programme.
“Behind you, there is Ksh40 billion from eCitizen that cannot be accounted for. Ahead of you, we see a cemetery of corruption in the Nairobi County Government. Instead of feeding children through Dishi na County, the governor is dishing out county money,” he remarked.
Babu further dismissed the multi-agency team formed by the president to fight graft, describing it as ineffective. Instead, he urged Ruto to appoint “serious apostles” – men and women of integrity and faith – to spearhead the fight against corruption.
Multi-agency team
This comes days after Ruto announced the formation of a new Multi-Agency Team on the War Against Corruption (MAT), which will bring together key state institutions in a renewed effort to curb graft, economic crimes, and misuse of public resources.
In a presidential proclamation made on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, Ruto outlined the creation of this team, consisting of 11 essential agencies, led by the Executive Office of the President, with the Office of the Attorney General serving as the secretariat.
“The membership is mandated to co-opt additional representation from designated agencies to further enhance its objectives,” the proclamation noted.