Siaya: Leaders and professionals from Siaya county have declared their support for Eliud Owalo’s presidential bid, citing his 10-point agenda as a transformative economic blueprint for the Nyanza region.
According to Kenya News Agency, the professionals, led by Philemon Wachara, emphasized that Owalo’s plan is not merely a collection of isolated projects but a deliberate strategy to re-engineer production, value addition, and connectivity across the lake region. They praised his commitment to the construction and operationalisation of the Koru-Soin and Magwagwa dams, which aim to provide clean energy, household water, irrigation, and flood control, as a significant initiative that would impact the Nyanza region and the country positively.
Wachara highlighted Owalo’s record as ICT Cabinet Secretary, where his Ministry was recognized by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) as the least corrupt, reinforcing their confidence in his leadership. Owalo, who previously served as the Deputy Head of Public Service in charge of Performance and Delivery in the Office of the President, is noted for his strategic acumen and consistent performance in various roles, as affirmed by pollsters.
On behalf of professionals and the women’s caucus, Susan Goro expressed that Owalo’s agenda resonates with women and employed Kenyans burdened by high taxation. Goro emphasized that Kenyan workers support Owalo’s initiative to reduce tax rates. She posed the question, “If he can reduce taxation from 35% to 20%, why not support him?”
Pauline Precious Odongo commended Owalo’s efforts in supporting grassroots enterprises, highlighting his role in establishing women savings and credit cooperatives (saccos), enterprise training, and seed capital programs. These initiatives have revitalized small businesses and empowered women. Odongo also noted that during his brief tenure in the Cabinet, Owalo helped establish 29 savings and credit societies across the region and advocated for rural electrification and ICT hub establishment in rural areas, benefiting the youth.
