Nairobi, January 4, 2026 – What started as a quiet lunch at one of Nairobi’s most exclusive spots turned into a heart-stopping drama yesterday when Kileleshwa MCA Robert Onyango Alai allegedly drew a firearm on Embakasi East MP Babu Owino in front of stunned diners.
Eyewitnesses at the upscale Cedars Lebanese Restaurant in Kilimani described scenes straight out of a thriller. Babu Owino was enjoying a private meal with a companion when Alai walked in, spotted the MP, and marched straight to his table.
The confrontation exploded immediately. Sources say Alai furiously accused Babu Owino of masterminding vicious online attacks against his wife, allegedly orchestrated through controversial activist Maverick Aoko. Voices rose. Insults flew. Diners froze.
Then, in a moment that left everyone gasping, Alai allegedly pulled out a pistol, cocked it, and aimed directly at Babu Owino’s chest. Witnesses claim he squeezed the trigger multiple times – but fortune intervened. The gun jammed.
“Fortunately, the gun was not properly cocked,” one shaken patron told reporters. Chaos could have turned deadly.
Hero of the hour? A senior DCI officer, Mohamed Amin Shurie – head of financial crimes investigations – who was dining nearby. He leapt into action, wrestled Alai to the ground, and disarmed him before tragedy struck.
A rattled Alai reportedly fled the scene immediately. Babu Owino, visibly shaken, left shortly after regaining his composure. No shots were fired. No one was injured. But the high-end eatery was left in stunned silence.
The dramatic clash adds fresh fuel to the long-simmering bad blood between the two fiery ODM politicians, known for their sharp tongues and social media battles.
For Babu Owino, it’s another chapter in his controversial history with firearms – coming just days after courts revisited his past cases, including the infamous 2020 B-Club shooting involving DJ Evolve.
Police have yet to comment officially, but sources say investigations are underway. Questions swirl: Will charges follow? Was the gun licensed? And how deep does the rivalry really run?
Nairobi’s elite dining scene just got a brutal reminder – even in the lap of luxury, Kenyan politics can turn lethal in an instant.
