Eliud Owalo: Kenya lacks leadership, not politicians
By Cynthia Lodite, June 5, 2026Presidential aspirant Eliud Owalo has sharply criticised Kenya’s political landscape, declaring that the country does not suffer from a shortage of politicians but from a severe deficit in genuine leadership.
Taking to his official X account on Friday, June 5, 2026, Owalo stated that millions of Kenyans are exhausted by unfulfilled promises as they continue to battle a rising cost of living.
“Kenya does not lack politicians. But Kenya lacks leadership. Millions are tired of promises while struggling with the rising cost of living. The time has come for practical solutions that put the needs of ordinary Kenyans first,” Owalo stated.
Owalo’s stand on 2027 politics
Owalo’s remarks come a month after he dismissed the idea of political zoning, describing it as outdated and incompatible with Kenya’s current multi-party democratic system.
Speaking during a church service in Nyangori on Saturday, April 18, 2026, Owalo, who is also eyeing the 2027 presidential race, argued that zoning weakens political competition and limits voters’ choices by locking regions into predetermined political alignments.
He maintained that the practice undermines the spirit of the 2010 Constitution, which promotes democratic participation and political diversity across the country. According to him, restricting regions to specific political parties creates a situation where alternative candidates are automatically disadvantaged, even if they may have strong development agendas.
“The issue of political zoning, first of all, is wrong. That’s the bottom line. It is wrong because what is the net effect of political zoning? If you say, for example, that in Western Kenya, a given political party is the one that should fill candidates in that region, the net effect is that anybody who does not get the party ticket falls by the wayside because there is no substitute,” the 2027 presidential hopeful maintained.
Owalo further observed that Kenya should instead embrace a political environment where multiple parties freely compete across all regions. He noted that voters should not be confined to “political strongholds” but should be allowed to evaluate leaders based on their performance, ideas, and development track record.