Student Organisation of Nairobi University (SONU) Chairman Babu Owino says he keeps his family under wraps to “protect them from harsh criticism.”
Babu Owino, a third year Bachelor of Law student at University of Nairobi, has a wife and one son.
“This is my political life and not their political life. I need to respect my family. My family comes first. Whatever I do – even if it is politics, politics is a very dangerous game – and I wouldn’t want to expose my family to anybody because of security matters. And I also need to protect them from unnecessary verbal attack – there is a lot of rumours and propaganda peddled about me. I keep my family protected; I want them to have peace and enjoy life,” Owino told eDaily.
The SONU leader is not new to controversy – and a lot has been alleged about him – claims linking him to goons in university, to allegations of him engaging in illegal drugs business.
Babu vehemently denies these claims.
Do these affect how his family is perceived; does he discuss the drama around his life with his wife?
“Definitely discussion has to be there in a house, and by the end of the day we agree to disagree on these issues. So complaints from my wife have to be there; but not so much because she knows me – she knows the real me. My wife knows that this man makes the right decisions,” Babu said.
And about his primary family – that is, his mother and father?
“My dad passed away when I was in class three. My mum is still alive, she is happy. I love my mum so much. She is hardworking, intelligent and beautiful woman who goes for what she wants.”
Babu Owino, the last born in a family of three siblings, graduated from University of Nairobi in 2012 with a First Class honors in Actuarial Science, and enrolled at the same institution for a degree in law in September, 2013.