Some residents of Siaya and Kisumu counties have declared support for former Information, Communication and Digital Economy CS Eliud Owalo’s 2027 presidential bid.
They cited his economic transformation agenda as a potential solution to long-standing development challenges in the Lake Region.
A Siaya-based group led by coordinator Philemon Wachara said Owalo’s 10-point development agenda provides a structured plan aimed at boosting production, value addition and regional connectivity.
Wachara, who spoke alongside Susan Goro, representing professionals and the Women’s Caucus, and Pauline Precious Odongo, representing women in business and Saccos, said the proposed policies could unlock economic growth and create sustainable livelihoods.
According to Wachara, key among Owalo’s proposals is the construction and operationalisation of the Koru-Soin and Magwagwa dams, projects he said would support irrigation, flood control, clean energy generation and water supply for households and industries.
He said Owalo’s plan to revive sectors such as sugar, rice, cotton, fisheries, mining and agro-processing could help address historical challenges that have seen raw products leave the region without value addition.
The group also welcomed Owalo’s focus on infrastructure, including plans to fast-track the Lake Victoria Ring Road and fully operationalise Kisumu International Airport.
Wachara said the projects would reduce transportation costs, open new markets and position the Lake Region as a key economic hub.
On economic reforms, Wachara cited Owalo’s proposal to reduce income tax from 35 per cent to 20 per cent, lower Value Added Tax from 16 per cent to 10 per cent, reduce corporate tax and scrap digital taxes for youth entrepreneurs.
He said the measures would stimulate productivity and increase household incomes.
Wachara pointed at Owalo’s tenure as ICT Cabinet Secretary, noting that his ministry was once ranked among the least corrupt by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, describing it as evidence of his commitment to accountability.
Goro said Owalo’s agenda resonates with working professionals and women who have been burdened by high taxation and limited economic opportunities.
Odongo, representing women in business and Saccos, praised Owalo’s involvement in grassroots empowerment programmes, including women’s enterprise training, savings initiatives and seed capital support, saying the initiatives had strengthened small businesses and improved financial independence among women.
Meanwhile, a similar endorsement was made in Kisumu during the launch of the “Friends of Eliud Owalo Kisumu Chapter.”
Led by Edwin Gor, they described Owalo’s presidential bid as part of what they termed Kenya’s “Third Liberation,” which they said focuses on economic emancipation following independence and political reforms achieved in earlier decades.
The group argued that despite Kisumu county’s economic potential, many residents continue to face poverty, disease burdens and unemployment due to weak industrial development and poor value retention within local production chains.
Gor cited challenges such as underutilised agricultural land, declining sugar and cotton industries, flooding in Nyando and Ahero and limited processing capacity in fisheries as key issues that require urgent intervention.
The group said Owalo’s development agenda addresses these concerns through investments in irrigation, industrial revival, improved logistics and support for small and medium enterprises.
They highlighted proposals to strengthen fisheries through cold storage facilities, fish processing industries and enforcement of sustainable fishing practices, noting that such interventions would increase incomes among fisherfolk.
The Kisumu group also expressed support for Owalo’s plans to form a political party ahead of next year’s elections, saying it would serve as a platform to advance economic reforms and regional development.
With the endorsements calls for farmers, fisherfolk, professionals, youth, women and entrepreneurs across the Lake Region to rally behind Owalo’s candidature were made.