Kenyan MP Babu Owino Didn't Say His Father Was Indian, Mother Was Kenyan - Viral Facebook Post Fabricated

Kenyan MP Babu Owino didn't say his father was Indian, mother was Kenyan - viral Facebook post fabricated

IN SHORT: According to a screenshot of a Facebook post allegedly by Kenyan lawmaker Babu Owino, his mother was Kenyan and his father was Indian. However, he has dismissed the screenshot as fake.

Kenyan lawmaker Paul Ongili Owino, popularly known as Babu Owino, said his father was Indian and his mother was from the Luhya community.

This is according to a screenshot of what appears to be a Facebook post by Owino.

"I want to make it clear and set the record straight for the avoidance of doubt. My Father was an Indian and my mother was a a Luyhia from Maseno. I learnt the Luo language while staying with my mother in Nyalenda slums. Don't crucify me for no reason, I am a Kenyan by birth. Thank you fellow Kenyans," the screenshot reads.

Owino is a member of parliament for Embakasi East constituency in Nairobi county and a member of the Orange Democratic Movement party. He has declared his bid for the Nairobi governor seat in the 2027 general elections.

Luhya and Luo are ethnic groups predominantly found in western Kenya. Owino is from the Luo community, though his ancestry has been debated. A December 2025 poll ranked him as the most preferred political kingpin of the Luo community, drawing criticism from his opponents.

Kenyan voters have long voted along ethnic lines and ethnicity remains an important consideration, especially in politics.

The screenshot has been widely posted on social media.

But is it authentic? We checked.

Fake screenshot

There are signs that the screenshot could be fake. For example, the reaction number "3900" looks different from what would appear on a genuine Facebook post, which would likely show "3.9K". Additionally, the spacing in the "5 min" indicator is inconsistent with genuine posts.

Owino uses his social media accounts, including his verified Facebook account, to update his followers on his engagements and whereabouts. We searched the account for the post but found no trace of it.

Africa Check conducted a reverse image search of the screenshot and found that Owino had flagged it as "FAKE" on Instagram in January 2026.

The screenshot is fake and should be disregarded.

Read the original story, with links and other resources.
Africa Check is a non-partisan organisation which promotes accuracy in public debate and in the media. Twitter @AfricaCheck and www.africacheck.org