KISUMU, Kenya — Eliud Owalo, the Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Delivery and Government Efficiency in the Office of the President, has declared that he will run for the presidency in the 2027 General Election, marking a major political shift for a long-time insider of Kenya’s top political circles.
Speaking in Oboch, Kisumu County, during the 106th commemoration of the death of his grandfather, Prophet Johanna Owalo, the founder of the Nomiya Church, Owalo said he was ready to seek the country’s highest office.
“Come 2027, I will submit myself as a candidate for the presidency of the Republic of Kenya,” he said, adding that his record as “a performer, a results-oriented person and a risk-taker” would guide his campaign.
The declaration comes as Owalo serves in President William Ruto’s office after having worked with some of Kenya’s most powerful political figures, including former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, and Musalia Mudavadi.
He said his decision reflected a move away from backing individual political leaders toward promoting development-driven leadership for the country.
After the church service, Owalo urged residents of Nyanza to embrace what he described as “a politics of action rather than rhetoric,” laying out a detailed development agenda focused on infrastructure, trade and economic transformation.
He identified water and flood control as a priority, calling for the expansion of major projects such as the Koru–Soin dams to support power generation, last-mile water connectivity, and food security.
Owalo also said the completion of the Lake Victoria Ring Road linking Busia to Migori was critical for unlocking regional and cross-border trade with Uganda and Tanzania.
To boost exports and industrial growth, he proposed upgrading Kisumu International Airport to handle cargo flights, allowing the region to ship fish, farm produce, and other goods directly to international markets.
He further called for the establishment of processing factories for fish, livestock products, hides and skins, potatoes, avocado, tea, coffee, and soapstone to promote value addition and keep more wealth within the region.
In addition, Owalo said the revival of the sugar, rice, and cotton sectors was necessary to restore livelihoods, while reforms in the mining sector were needed to ensure communities benefit from natural resources extracted from their areas.
On governance, he made a case for stronger political competition in Nyanza, arguing that the 2010 Constitution guarantees multi-party democracy and political pluralism.
Eliud Owalo, Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the President (Delivery & Government Efficiency) and Ex-CS, declares 2027 Presidential Bid
