Nairobi: Dr. Owili, who has served as Deputy Governor under Governor Prof. Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o for two terms, has announced his candidacy for the 2027 gubernatorial race with a comprehensive development agenda. The plan focuses on decentralized service delivery, healthcare, infrastructure, and economic empowerment, aiming to build on the achievements of the current administration and extend development to the grassroots.
According to Kenya News Agency, during a media breakfast at a Kisumu Hotel, Owili introduced his agenda, titled ‘Kisumu Promise: Building on the Foundations, Safeguarding Kisumu’s Future’. This blueprint, still under consultation, will be presented to residents as Owili seeks to succeed his boss, whose second term concludes next year. He emphasized a government that listens, delivers, and remains accountable to its citizens, stating, “Leadership is measured not by the promises that people make, but by the lives it transforms.”
A significant component of Owili’s proposal is decentralization, which includes the creation of Village Councils and Village Administrators to bring county services closer to residents. These structures aim to enhance community involvement in planning and budgeting while enabling residents to oversee development projects. In healthcare, he plans to upgrade facilities across sub-counties, improve staffing and equipment, and ensure the availability of essential medicines.
Owili’s infrastructure proposals focus on enhancing rural roads, drainage, and connectivity, particularly routes connecting farms, beaches, schools, and trading centers. His agenda also includes solar-powered lighting in public spaces and markets, along with floodlighting market centers.
For the agricultural and fisheries sectors, Owili aims to expand extension services, subsidize seeds and fertilizer, promote mechanization, and improve market access for farmers. He plans to complete fish landing sites, invest in cold storage and processing facilities, and strengthen Beach Management Units to support the county’s blue economy.
The agenda targets youth through expanded vocational and digital skills training, village-level digital hubs, and support for youth-owned enterprises. Women and small businesses would benefit from improved access to SACCOs, digital finance, and proposed One-Stop MSME Support Centers.
Under the ‘Buy Kisumu, Build Kisumu’ initiative, the county would prioritize locally produced goods in public procurement to stimulate local enterprise. Water, sanitation, and urban development are also prioritized, with plans to extend pipelines and sewers, especially in informal settlements.
In education, Owili proposes improvements to Early Childhood Development Centers, vocational training, and strengthening the links between education, technology, sports, and employment. Governance will focus on transparency, auditing stalled projects, reducing wastage, and enhancing revenue generation.
Owili aims to complete ongoing projects, such as the revitalization of Kisumu Port and the establishment of Special Economic Zones. He also plans to lobby for the Kisumu-Malaba Standard Gauge Railway construction to enhance regional connectivity.
Reflecting on Kisumu’s development since 2017, Owili credited the Nyong’o administration with transforming the county into a modern, investment-friendly region. His agenda draws from nine years of experience working alongside Nyong’o and aims to continue the development trajectory set by the late Raila Odinga.
Owili is positioning himself as a continuity candidate, emphasizing the completion of ongoing projects and extending development to underserved areas. His entry into the gubernatorial race adds to the list of contestants, including Kisumu Senator Prof. Tom Odhiambo Ojienda, Kisumu Central MP Joshua Odongo Oron, and Kisumu West MP Rosa Akinyi Buyu.
