Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has dismissed yesterday’s attempt by police officers to arrest Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, claiming the move was staged to divert public attention from more pressing issues.

In a statement shared on his social media pages, Babu Owino said the police presence at City Hall was merely a pretense to enforce the Senate County Public Accounts Committee’s order.

“Yesterday’s drama at City Hall was painful to watch, not because it was real, but because it was staged. The police showing up pretending to arrest Johnson Sakaja was just a script to distract Nairobians,” the Embakasi lawmaker said.

“At the same time, his ‘disappearance’ felt deliberate, so he could not be reached when people needed answers,” he added.

Babu Owino further claimed the attempted arrest was intended to draw public attention away from a planned demolition at a section of Gikomba Market, an exercise which could have faced resistance.

He also condemned the demolition, saying traders affected by the overnight exercise lost their primary source of income and livelihoods.

“As all this was happening, demolitions continued quietly. Traders at Gikomba lost their businesses, their stock, and their only source of income overnight,” he said.

He described the move as a betrayal rather than leadership, saying that “when the people needed accountability, they were instead met with drama and silence.”

A section of Gikomba Market, specifically the shoe sector, was demolished overnight, following the expiration of a 14-day eviction notice intended to reclaim riparian land along the Nairobi River.

The operation, conducted under tight security, left thousands of traders counting losses after their stalls were flattened.