Nairobi — Former Information Communication and Technology Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo has called on President William Ruto to step aside from the 2027 presidential race and support his candidacy, framing it as a reciprocal gesture for his backing in 2022.
Speaking on Chamgei FM, Owalo said he is prepared to serve a single term dedicated to reviving Kenya’s struggling economy before exiting office. He outlined an ambitious economic blueprint that includes sweeping tax cuts, the elimination of digital taxes, broadening the tax base, and conducting a forensic audit of public debt.
His proposed reforms would reduce income tax from 35 percent to 20 percent, lower VAT from 16 percent to 10 percent, cut corporate tax by 5 percent across the board, and abolish digital levies. To offset revenue losses, Owalo plans to bring an additional 27 million Kenyans into the tax net by enabling them to generate taxable income, while sealing revenue leakages through digitization and eliminating wasteful government spending.
He also pledged to address public debt by enforcing a zero-budget deficit and auditing all previous borrowing to verify legality and proper utilization. His administration would pursue zero tolerance for corruption through full digitization of government operations and uphold constitutionalism and the rule of law.
In education, Owalo promised free primary and day secondary schooling in public institutions, alongside free healthcare services in all public hospitals. He aims to transform Kenya into a digital and creative economy to generate jobs, particularly for youth, and position the country as a leading sporting nation in Africa.
Turning to the North Rift, Owalo challenged the perception that the region is economically advantaged due to having produced two presidents. He noted that despite its agricultural wealth—tea, maize, livestock, and dairy—prosperity has not translated to household incomes. Poverty rates in the region exceed the national average of 36 percent, with Bomet at 47 percent, Elgeyo Marakwet at 44 percent, Baringo at 41 percent, and West Pokot at 68 percent.
To reverse this, Owalo pledged targeted interventions in each county. In Nandi, he plans to establish agro-processing industries, guarantee minimum farmer incomes, invest in irrigation and mechanization, and formalize sports as an economic sector. For Baringo, he proposed modern livestock processing plants, upgraded water and irrigation infrastructure, enhanced veterinary services, and improved security. In Bomet, his focus would be on climate-smart farming, cold processing plants, guaranteed returns for farmers, and stronger cooperatives.
In Kericho, Owalo emphasized value addition in tea production to ensure farmers benefit from the wealth they generate. Uasin Gishu would be developed into a model agro-industrial and manufacturing hub, leveraging its maize, dairy, and MSME base. In Elgeyo Marakwet, he committed to infrastructure-led transformation, including roads, dams, irrigation systems, agro-processing industries, and enhanced security.
Owalo’s remarks signal an early push toward the 2027 election and could reshape political alignments ahead of the vote.
