Eliud Owalo sets condition for working with Kalonzo in 2027 presidential bid
By Cy Muganda, February 1, 2026Former Deputy Chief of Staff for Performance and Delivery Management Eliud Owalo has expressed willingness to work with various opposition leaders, including Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, in the 2027 presidential election, on condition that they share a common agenda to address challenges facing ordinary Kenyans.
Speaking on a local media station on Sunday, February 2, 2026, Owalo outlined the conditions under which he would collaborate with other political leaders, including Kalonzo, former Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi, and former Chief Justice David Maraga.
“If we are aligned on issues, these challenges facing the common man, issues of debt, issues of taxation, issues of high cost of living, issues of unemployment, if we have got a tangible, feasible agenda of addressing those challenges facing the common man, I’ll work with anybody of like mind,” Owalo responded.
Condition for coalition
Owalo recalled his past working relationship with Kalonzo, noting that he had collaborated with him and other leaders like Moses Wetangula while heading Raila Odinga’s 2013 presidential campaign.
“I’ve worked with Musyoka before. You know, when I was heading the Raila presidential campaign in 2013, Kalonzo was one of the co-principals, so was Wetangula. So I’ve worked with him before,” Owalo stated.
He added that he has no objection to partnering with Kalonzo again, provided the focus remains on advancing an agenda that serves ordinary citizens.
“I don’t have a problem working with Kalonzo, so long as we are pursuing this agenda, serving the interests of the common man,” he said.
When asked about former Chief Justice David Maraga, Owalo expressed no reservations.
“I’ve no problem working with him either, based on that common denominator if it comes to me,” he said.
Presidential bid
Owalo’s statement comes weeks after he declared his intention to run for president in the 2027 elections.
Speaking in Rarieda constituency on Sunday, January 11, 2026, Owalo reflected on his political journey as lessons that have prepared him for the ultimate leadership role.
“Come 2027, I want to change the paradigm. I will not continue to work for political individuals, but I want to work for the Kenyan people. And in that regard, informed by the lessons I have learnt in the past, emerging issues in the operational environment, and feedback I have received from various stakeholder forums which I have held over the past month,” he stated.
“I have today made a deliberate and conscious decision that come the year 2027, I will be submitting myself as a candidate for the purposes of the presidential race in the elections for the purposes of the presidency in the republic of Kenya,” Owalo declared.