In 1990, newly arrived in Nairobi and waiting to join Kenyatta University, Eliud Owalo moved into the sprawling informal settlement because he had no relative who could host him. Determined not to burden his parents, he settled for what he could afford: A rickety, one room shack. Food was scarce. Sleep even scarcer. Then came the fall he has never forgotten. He had been navigating the muddy, slippery paths when his foot got caught in a small hole. As he tried to free himself, he lost his balance and fell squarely into an open sewer.

It took him a few stunned seconds to register what had happened. He lay briefly in flowing sewage, trying to gather his wits as life carried on around him with a peculiar normalcy. No one stopped to help, perhaps each consumed by their own struggle. He staggered to his feet, brushed off the grime, and straightened his clothes.

Raised in Gangu village in Asembo, Owalo’s childhood dream was big: Move to Nairobi and build a good life. After completing his A-levels at St Mary’s Yala, he arrived in the city of endless lights, only to discover a reality that demanded nerves of steel and iron resolve. Kibera was a world where survival itself required special techniques: How to walk, breathe, and sleep amid congestion and scarcity.

Life there was unrelenting. He learnt to sleep coiled into tight corners on a bare floor. He queued for pit latrines shared by multiple households, negotiating cramped spaces and rusty doors with his long frame

The rains were the most terrifying. Narrow pathways turned into treacherous death traps, breaking limbs. Makeshift homes of rough timber, rusted iron sheets, and cartons flooded easily, turning sleep into an art. Some houses perched over sewer lines, forcing residents to watch effluent swell into raging rivers beneath their floors.

Each time he ventured beyond Kibera, Owalo’s resolve hardened against the obscene inequalities its residents endured. He made a private vow: To work hard, gain an education, create wealth and use it to empower the poor across Kenya. A strong academic foundation at Oboch Primary School and Maseno School had already taught him discipline. Kibera gave him purpose.

Even his strict parents, Rt Rev Archbishop Gideon Charles Owalo of the Nomiya Church, and his mother Eudiah Perez Owalo, never knew the extent of his hardship. Determined to stand on his own, he kept this chapter to himself.

The trauma sharpened his focus. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Business Studies from Kenyatta University, followed by a Master of Business Administration in Human Resource Management from the University of Nairobi. He is presently completing a PhD in Strategic Management at the same institution.

“In 2019, when I ran for the Kibera parliamentary seat, I did so with the passion of someone determined to bring change,” he says. “I lived the reality and challenges that millions of Kenya’s poor face every day.”

That Kibera sojourn would shape the man and the public servant he became as ICT Cabinet Secretary. It had turned him into a staunch advocate for basic human rights and the rule of law, propelling him into partnerships with communities across the country in pursuit of a fairer, more equitable Kenya.

When he recently resigned as Deputy Chief of Staff in Charge of Delivery and Government Efficiency and declared his interest in running for President in 2027, it became clear that he had been planning meticulously. He had already established a private secretariat, complete with hi-tech communication infrastructure, a data and call centre. He is ready to roll.

Owalo has built networks and grassroots connections. In February 2025, he organized the Nyanza International Investment Conference (NIIC) that assembled over 20,000 participants. The conference brought together all six Nyanza Governors, various Members of Parliament, Senators and MCAs, EU Ambassadors, top government officials, local entrepreneurs, and international investors. Deputy President Prof Kithure Kindiki was the Chief Guest. The conference positioned Nyanza as “investment-ready” under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

 Owalo says he will tap into the over 1.5 million followers of Nomiya Church his grandfather Nabii (Prophet) Johana Owalo founded in 1907 as the first independent African indigenous church in Kenya. He explains: “In Luo Nyanza, there are two major institutions: Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and the Nomiya Church. Nomiya is an integral stakeholder in any political formation in Kenya’s politics. It is bigger than any political movement in Luo Nyanza whose support one needs to be elected.”

Owalo knows that to sit at the political power negotiation table, he needs a strong following. He has urged all youths and followers of Nomiya Church to acquire national identity cards and register as voters in readiness for the 2027 general elections. The Church, with followers in

Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, blends Christianity with bits of Islam and African traditional and cultural beliefs. Its headquarters is in Oboch village in Rarieda. The founder’s mausoleum is now part of the National Museums of Kenya and a tourist attraction.

In April 2023, Owalo hosted hundreds of farmers’ representatives and key stakeholders from the sugarcane, rice, and cotton sectors across Migori, Homa Bay, Siaya, and Kisumu counties, at his home in Asembo. He knows that agriculture is Nyanza’s largest employment base and that sugarcane and fishing sectors are emotive issues that make or break political careers.

Fishing and Lake Victoria are a sacred inheritance and a vital part of the Nyanza’s identity and daily lifeline. Owalo convened a meeting with Beach Management Units (BMU), officials from Busia, Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay, and Migori counties, at his Asembo home. He invited the then Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs, Salim Mvurya, to address the fishing community’s challenges and grievances.

In April 2023, through the Asembo Caucus, Owalo assembled teachers from the six counties of Nyanza, and the regional and national KNUT representatives. They discussed teachers’ welfare as well as education policy.

Like a great hunter, Owalo moved stealthily, mobilizing womenfolk from Nyanza. In three years, he has hosted over 2,500 representatives from more than 900 women’s self-help and professional groups. He has helped them form Saccos to address their economic challenges.

In 2023, he mobilized professional women from across Nyanza and established the Professional Association of Nyanza Women (PANY), with membership of over 2000. He is the Patron of PANY, whose launch was attended by then US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman, Indian High Commissioner Namgya Khampa, Labour CS Florence Bore, and Deputy Speaker Gladys Shollei. First Lady Rachel Ruto later launched PANY’s strategic plan.

Owalo has been building trust, fostering loyalty, and forging emotional and electoral bonds.

As ICT Cabinet Secretary, he cultivated ties with Heads of State, global tech leaders, donors, and multinationals. He hosted football icons Andy Cole, formerly of Man-United, and former Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel, to discuss sports development.

Owalo served as Raila Odinga’s Head of Presidential Campaign Secretariat and Chief Campaign Manager in 2013. He worked with CORD co-principals Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang’ula, and briefly joined Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC, before linking up with William Ruto in 2020. Prior to joining the Public Service, he had served as a consultant for 23 years, cutting a niche in the market as one of Africa’s most-sought-after strategists.

On November 8, 2025, the Eliud Owalo Foundation assembled over 400 high profile guests to unveil its philanthropic vision and Board of Trustees. The board launched its Ksh14.3 billion Strategic Plan (2026– 2028), aimed at transforming education, healthcare, environment and

climate action, while empowering women and youths. In his village, the Foundation partnered with the Safaricom M-Pesa Foundation to rehabilitate Kametho and Oboch Primary and Junior Secondary schools at the cost of Ksh70 million.

Then he pulled the magical wand. He touched the heart of the Luo community and other Kenyans by becoming the single biggest sponsor of Gor Mahia FC, whose fanatical following is said to exceed 20 million. In the last 10 years, he has invested over Ksh50 million, covering the

club’s title-winning bonuses, defraying players’ payment arrears and operational costs, and purchasing a Ksh23 million modern bus for Gor. In April 2025, he was appointed Gor Mahia’s Deputy Patron, and thereafter Patron following Raila Odinga’s demise. He has pledged to mobilise funds for a 60,000-seater Gor Mahia stadium with training pitches, player accommodation facilities, a four-star hotel, modern gym, indoor arena, and a full recovery centre.

He established the Gor Mahia Legends Welfare Fund, contributing Ksh1 million in seed capital to support the retired players. Owalo has also supported other football clubs such as AFC Leopards, Shabana FC, Vihiga United, Nzoia Sugar and Kakamega Homeboyz.

Those who worked under him at the Ministry of ICT and as the Government’s Delivery and Efficiency Czar generally describe him as a workaholic teetotaler who sustains an intense work ethic, ordinarily arriving at his office by 5am and scheduling meetings as early as 5.30am.

Just like his grandfather Prophet Johana Owalo, Eliud Owalo is described as a fearless, fiercely independent leader and risk-taker.

The road ahead is still treacherous, but he is unflinching in his resolve. Each time he thinks of that fall in Kibera, Owalo remembers that he still has promises to keep for other Kenyans.