Babu Owino's Heated Interview With Anne Kiguta Sparks Outrage [VIDEO]

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino was on Sunday, May 24, interviewed by Anne Kiguta on K24 prime-time political talk show Punchline, sparking an overwhelming reaction from Kenyans online.

The interview saw the lawmaker discuss various issues including recent evictions in Ruai and his online Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) classes, but it was the topic of Felix Orinda alias DJ Evolve that saw the conversation go south.

Kiguta relentlessly pressed Babu over the issue, first making him watch the CCTV footage which captured him shooting Evolve in the neck at B-Club, Nairobi in January.

Kiguta asked Babu whether he should still be in office after being charged, frustrating Babu who questioned Kiguta's motives insisting that the matter was still in court.

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino peruses court documents in the company of his lawyer Cliff Ombeta at the Millimani Law Courts on January 27, 2020.
Daily Nation

The legislator maintained that he was innocent until proven guilty, reiterating that he could not discuss a matter that was in court.

As Kiguta continued with the line of questioning and poked holes into his character, Babu grew frustrated and asked if Kiguta was working with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to have him re-arrested.

"What I will tell you Anne is simple. This is a matter before a court of law, and a matter before a court of law is subjudice (prohibited from public discussion). Have you ever been arrested or handcuffed? If you discuss this matter those people are going to arrest you because it is a matter before a court of law and we will stop at that," Babu stated when shown the CCTV footage.

Kiguta argued that it was a matter of public safety and they were not discussing the merits of the case, urging Babu to come clean on the subject, but the firebrand legislator stood his ground.

He informed Kiguta that she was in no position to be a judge of morality, constantly reiterating that he was innocent until proven guilty.

"Since you seem to have answers that you want to tell Kenyans, you can speak to them. I have told you, you have no moral obligation, you have no moral yardstick to measure morality.

"It is a matter before the court of law. Why don't you discuss the Constitution that says you are innocent until proven guilty? Discuss that," he stated.

Babu's frustration grew more apparent when Kiguta asked him whether he should have resigned after pulling the trigger, questioning if he had violated the public trust.

Kiguta decided, then, to highlight queries sent from Kenyans watching the show directly to Babu, but the MP remained steadfast in his position.

He insisted that he could not discuss the matter, eliciting a flurry of heated reactions from Kenyans on social media platforms.

"It is my personal experience, that some interviews shouldn't occur at all, and if they should, they should be taped, not live," tweeted veteran journalist James Smart in response to the interview.

"Babu Owino is a disgrace to Embakasi and Kenya at large. At least, he could just apologise rather than blabbering excuses. Anne Kiguta is not ur enemy," wrote one Anne.

"Babu Owino's anger can be felt and can be seen on live TV," observed one John Gachie. 

Several others, however, backed Babu as they accused Kiguta of undertaking an interrogation as opposed to an interview.

Watch the interview below: