Embakasi East Member of Parliament, Paul Ongili, popularly known as Babu Owino, has opened up about his past battles with drug addiction, shedding light on his journey to sobriety while navigating the world of politics.
In a recent interview with a Kenyan portal, the young parliamentarian disclosed that he had grappled with substance abuse, including hard liquor, cocaine, and traditional brews, but has since turned his life around, focusing on his political career and the well-being of his constituents.
Babu Owino’s narrative revolves around a wild past that marked his youth. Today, he is a transformed figure on the national stage, committed to improving the lives of his constituents. He points out that many leaders, including Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, have fallen short in their duty to uplift the community.
“The moment you are in your youth, you are very energetic, you want to explore and experience the adventure. I don’t regret having been in that life because now it has made me wiser and makes me know it’s not good to be involved in such a lifestyle,” he explained.
Owino’s past included a cocktail of substances, from alcohol and miraa to cocaine, bhang, chang’aa, busaa, and muratina. However, he successfully left this lifestyle behind in January 2020, recognizing that it had become overwhelming and detrimental.
Coincidentally, this decision coincided with his involvement in a gun-related incident at a Nairobi club. “Having done all this, I knew the juice was not worth all the squeeze. It was a decision that I made that enough is enough. From January 2020 to date, I have never drunk alcohol nor touched any hard drugs for that matter,” Owino emphasized.
He attributes his transformation to the power of a clear conviction. “Everything is in the state of mind. The moment you decide to do something, you will do it. The moment I decided to stop drug and substance abuse, my conviction was clear.”
