Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Delivery and Government Efficiency in the Executive Office of the President, Eliud Owalo, has officially declared his presidential bid in the 2027 general elections.
The move marks a major political announcement that could reshape Kenya’s political landscape.
Speaking in Oboch, Rarieda Sub-county in Siaya, Owalo said his decision followed extensive deliberations and wide consultations over the past month.
Owalo stated that after years of working behind the scenes for other political leaders, the time had come for him to seek the country’s top office.
“For about 15 years I have been in politics working behind politicians. In 2013, I was the chief campaigner for the late Raila Odinga as he ran for the presidency,” he said.
He added that he later played a key role in campaigning for President William Ruto, particularly in the Nyanza region.
“I was also crucial in campaigning for the current president, especially in Nyanza. I introduced Ruto to Nyanza. Now it is time I stop working for other politicians. Come 2027, I will be running for the presidency,” he declared.
A seasoned technocrat and political strategist, Owalo has served in several influential roles within government and political circles, building a reputation as a behind-the-scenes power broker before his appointment to the Executive Office of the President.
On the political party he will use to contest the presidency, the Deputy Chief of Staff said he will make an announcement in the coming days.
He emphasised the need to fully embrace multiparty democracy, particularly in the Nyanza region, which has traditionally been perceived as a stronghold of a single dominant party.
“We cannot be celebrating being a multiparty nation, yet when it comes to Nyanza, we want to restrict ourselves to one party,” he said.
“If the people want to choose a leader who is in ODM, or another who is in a party that Owalo will announce soon, it is their choice. The power to elect leaders must rest entirely with the voters, regardless of party affiliation,” he said.
Owalo made the remarks during a church service marking 106 years since the death of the founding father of the Nomiya Church, Nabii Yohana Owalo, who was also his grandfather.
By Calvin Otieno
