By KPC Reporter
Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has issued a response to summons by the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI), Western Region, questioning both the legality and intent of the directive.
In a letter dated March 17, 2026, Owino accused the authorities of intimidation and misuse of state machinery, framing the summons as part of a broader attempt to silence dissenting voices.
The summons reportedly stemmed from Owino’s participation in the Linda Mwananchi rallies held at Amalemba grounds and Mbale, events that drew large crowds and were seen as mobilisations against government policies.
According to Owino, junior officers acting under the Regional Director’s instructions demanded his appearance in Kakamega for interrogation.
In his letter, Owino expressed dismay at what he described as harassment by state agencies.
He wrote: “In the past few days, junior officers allegedly working on your instructions have purported to summon me to appear before them in Kakamega for interrogations over the successful Linda Mwananchi rally.”
He argued that the choice of Kakamega as the venue was deliberate, intended to intimidate him and symbolise suppression of public voices.
“It is my view that the choice of Kakamega as the venue of torture is not only meant to intimidate and blackmail me, but is a testament to the regime’s determination to suppress the voice of the people,” Owino stated.
The MP further advised the DCI to pursue any legal matters in Nairobi, unless a specialised court existed in Kakamega to handle his case.
He also challenged the agency to study and interpret the Court of Appeal’s ruling in Civil Appeal No. 197 of 2020, which addressed the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crimes Act, arguing that the law had been weaponised against progressive voices.
Quoting French philosopher Simone Weil, he wrote: “Instruments of power — arms, gold, machines, magical or technical secrets — always exist independently of him who disposes of them, and can be taken up by others. Consequently, all power is unstable.”
He concluded with a literary reference from Patrick Rothfuss’s The Name of the Wind: “Power is ok, and stupidity is usually harmless, but power combined with stupidity is very dangerous.”
The Linda Mwananchi rallies have become a flashpoint in Kenya’s political landscape.
Organised by opposition-leaning figures, the events have sought to highlight issues of governance, economic hardship, and civil liberties.
Owino, known for his fiery rhetoric and mobilisation skills, has been a central figure in these gatherings.
Government agencies, however, have viewed the rallies with suspicion, often linking them to potential unrest.
The DCI’s summons to Owino is the latest in a series of confrontations between state institutions and opposition politicians.
The Court of Appeal judgment Owino referenced — Civil Appeal No. 197 of 2020 — dealt with constitutional challenges to the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crimes Act. Civil society groups had argued that the Act infringed on freedom of expression and was prone to abuse.
While the court upheld parts of the law, it also emphasised the need for proportionality and protection of fundamental rights.
Owino’s defiance is likely to escalate tensions between opposition leaders and state agencies, and his insistence that the summons represents intimidation resonates with a broader narrative of shrinking democratic space.
