Diners at a popular Kilimani restaurant were left shaken on Saturday after a dramatic confrontation between Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino nearly turned deadly.

The incident unfolded at Cedars Lebanese restaurant, where the two politicians arrived separately. According to eyewitnesses, Babu Owino was having lunch with another man when Alai walked in, spotted him, and headed straight to his table.

What began as a verbal exchange quickly escalated. Witnesses said Alai accused Owino of being behind a series of online attacks directed at his wife by a controversial social media personality. Owino reportedly denied the claims, insisting he had no personal connection to Alai’s family and no reason to target them.

“Alai allegedly accused Owino of employing the services of popular online character assassin Maverick Aoko to tarnish the reputation of his wife. Aoko has, of late, posted on social media platform X, a series of stinging and personal posts targeting Alai’s wife. “Owino, in his defence, stated that he doesn’t know Alai’s wife personally and has absolutely no reason to malign her name,” recounted a witness seated at the bar.

Tension rose rapidly, drawing the attention of other patrons. In a shocking turn, Alai allegedly pulled out a pistol, cocked it, and aimed it at Owino, attempting to fire several times. The weapon, however, malfunctioned.

Panic gripped the restaurant as diners ducked for cover. A senior police officer who was also having lunch at the establishment reacted swiftly, intervening and disarming Alai before anyone was harmed. The officer was later identified as Mohamed Amin Shurie, a top official at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

Following the intervention, a visibly shaken Alai left the restaurant immediately. Owino remained behind briefly before also departing, as staff and patrons tried to make sense of the unfolding drama.

The incident has reignited public concern over the presence of firearms in social spaces and revived memories of past controversies involving the  Embakasi East MP Babu Owino’s own troubled history with firearms. Most notably, in January 2020, Owino was arrested and charged with the attempted murder of Felix Orinda, popularly known as DJ Evolve.

The shooting occurred at Nairobi’s B-Club lounge in Kilimani, where Owino allegedly shot the DJ in the neck. DJ Evolve survived but suffered severe spinal cord injuries, leaving him permanently wheelchair-bound and requiring constant medical care.

The case has undergone numerous court hearings and delays. In a controversial turn, DJ Evolve’s family later filed an affidavit requesting to drop the attempted murder charges, a move that sparked significant public outcry and allegations of coercion or out-of-court settlement. Despite this, the state proceeded with lesser charges of behaving in a disorderly manner while carrying a firearm. Babu Owino has always maintained the shooting was accidental.

Owino’s lawyer, when contacted, stated he would consult his client and get back to us with a statement. He had, however, not done so by the strict time of going to press Alai is yet to respond.

No injuries were reported, but those present described the episode as one of the most frightening scenes they had witnessed in a public dining space in Nairobi.