Babu Owino: I tasted chang'aa at 8 years, I have quit alcohol

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino. FILE

Embakasi East legislator Babu Owino blames his violent childhood in Nyalenda slums, Kisumu County for his deeds.

The first-time MP narrated how his mother took to brew chang’aa, an illicit brew, to make ends meet for her young family.


“Today I have decided to talk to fellow Kenyans heart-to-heart and in the course of my duties I have been engaging you on various platforms on social media and I sense your anger. I sense that some of you are hurt and some are disappointed with me. I am a human being like you,” Babu said.


“I grew up in Nyalenda slums and I understand the pains of growing in such an environment where you cannot get daily meals, school fees, and medication,” said the Embakasi East MP.


He said it was at such a young age when he experienced police violence.

“My mother sold chang’aa. She did not sell chang’aa because she wanted to but because she wanted us to go to school and to get the best services. Police harassment was real, and I witnessed them whipping my mother,” said Babu.


He revealed that police officers even arrested him and his siblings, locking them up at the Kisumu Central Police Station for weeks.

Further, the MP revealed that he has since quit alcohol, a substance he admits he started consuming at a tender age.

“At around eight years, I tasted chang’aa. I did it because it was what everyone was doing around, and it was the normal thing to do. Out of influence, I had to take chang’aa. Since then I have been taking alcohol,” Babu said.


“I have had my ups and downs. I have my challenges and pasts some of which are dirty. I have reached a turning point and I have decided to make a change. A change that I am proud of, a change that my family is proud of. Being the MP is not the most important thing. The most important thing is to know who I am a person,” he said.


“It has been six months and nine days since I last drank alcohol, I regularly pray and fellowship with my wife who has a fellowship group and I am looking inwards to be a better person,” Babu said.


“I want to tell Kenyan people that even now I am not perfect and I will take this opportunity to work continually on some of the weaknesses that I have in life and strive to be a better person, strive to be a servant leader who will change lives of my people,” he concluded.