Embakasi East Member of Parliament, Paul Ongili alias Babu Owino, has been officially admitted to the bar, becoming a fully qualified advocate of the High Court of Kenya.
The ceremony, which took place at the Supreme Court of Kenya on May 23, 2025, was presided over by Chief Justice Martha Koome and saw 609 new lawyers join the legal fraternity.
Ongili described the moment as life-changing, reflected on his humble beginnings in Nyalenda, Kisumu County and how those early experiences motivated his decision to pursue law.
He recalled the struggles his mother went through, including repeated arrests and harassment by police over her chang’aa business.
The second-term legislator first gained national recognition as a student leader at the University of Nairobi, where he earned his first degree, his Bachelor of Science degree in Actuarial Science in 2012, graduating with First Class Honours. Driven by an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, he returned to the same university in 2013 to pursue a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree, graduating with a Second Class Upper Division.
“Growing up in the slums of Nyalenda, I noticed with deep concern the constant harassment and humiliation of ordinary Kenyans in the brutal hands of law enforcement agencies, most of the time without a clue of what their constitutional rights were,” he said. “My mother got arrested several times and instead of being arraigned in court would be beaten up by police to pay a bribe from her meagre chang’aa sales proceeds.”
In his own words, Babu Owino described his admission to the bar as “a historic chapter” in his journey. He reiterated that his legal credentials are not for personal grandiosity but a tool to better serve the people. “The law is a new battlefield where I will fight even harder for justice, equity, and the rights of the common mwananchi,” he said.
He further hinted that his newfound legal authority will empower him to hold the government more accountable, especially on issues that touch on the livelihoods of ordinary Kenyans. “This is about sharpening the tools of service,” he said, indicating that his voice in Parliament may now carry even more legal weight in matters of governance and justice.
“This achievement is not about personal grandiosity. It is about sharpening the tools of service. The law is now a new battlefield where I will fight even harder for justice, equity, and the rights of the common mwananchi,” he said.
“The Government should brace itself for more lethal arguments in defence of Kenyans—both in Parliament and now in court. Expect legal action aimed at lowering the cost of living, creating jobs, and holding systems accountable,” he concluded.
