Ex-CS Owalo launches presidential bid, promises free education and healthcare
Former Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo has officially announced that he will seek a mandate from Kenyans in August 2027 election to become the country’s sixth president.
Speaking on Wednesday during the launch of the People’s Prosperity Party (PPP), Mr Owalo maintained that he is fit to lead the country into its third liberation.
While dismissing speculations that he might be President William Ruto’s mole, Mr Owalo said that he does not subscribe to the one term, or two term slogan, but ready for the change that will liberate Kenyans from the taxes and high cost of living.
“To liberate Kenyans from the stranglehold of the vampire state, crocodile liberators masquerading as reformers and their crony capitalists; Kenya needs the Third Liberation: the economic emancipation of Kenyans and the birth of the third republic,” Mr Owalo said.
Mr Owalo further said that he is ready to work with the likeminded Kenyans who will liberate the country from President Ruto’s regime.
“Kenya now needs a Fresh Start anchored on the Third Liberation Agenda and facilitated by transformational leadership. That’s why I’m seeking a fresh term.”
He said Kenyans are restless people who will no longer accept business-as-usual politics “that has divided and impoverished the nation and made Kenya an oasis of wealth in a sea of poverty – a country where islands of privilege rise above an ocean of deprivation, while millions remain trapped in hunger, joblessness, debt and indignity.”
According to the former Cabinet Secretary, his government will ensure that all Kenyans can access free healthcare as well as free education at primary and secondary levels.
“I plan to introduce free primary and day secondary education. This commitment guarantees universal access to quality basic education by removing all hidden school costs and strengthening public learning systems. It includes restoration of high-quality public education for all with minimum guaranteed and enforceable standards for infrastructure, sanitation, safety, and learning materials, upgrade infrastructure, reform teacher welfare, and support vulnerable households with targeted education subsidies,” Mr Owalo said.
The former CS also said given the chance, he will recruit additional teachers to help him in delivering free education as well as nationwide digital learning integration, and a school feeding programme to improve attendance and nutrition.
Mr Owalo said free healthcare will guarantee universal access to quality healthcare without financial barriers, which will focus on eliminating user fees in public hospitals, upgrading facilities, increasing medical personnel, and ensuring consistent drug supply through digitized procurement systems.
To reduce the burden of taxation among Kenyans, Mr Owalo pledged to work on cutting budget deficits and eliminating corruption, which will be implemented through full digitisation and transparency of public systems, and introducing integrated digital payment and procurement platforms, real-time public finance dashboards, and elimination of cash-based government transactions.
“We will also focus on forensic investigations of past scandals, asset recovery, and system integration to eliminate ghost suppliers, duplicate payments, and bureaucratic rent-seeking,” he said.
