Presidential aspirant Eliud Owalo./HANDOUT
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Former ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo will today unveil his political party, a move that formally launches his bid for the presidency and adds a new player to the long list of those seeking to unseat President William Ruto.
The event, according to Owalo’s presidential campaign secretariat, will take place at the party’s headquarters at 745 Muchai Drive, Golf Course Estate.
“The media is cordially invited to cover the unveiling of Kenya’s newest political party. We look forward to welcoming you to cover and be part of this historic occasion,” read part of the invite sent to newsrooms on Tuesday.
The development marks another dramatic turn in Owalo's political career, which has seen him move from being one of late Raila Odinga's close campaign strategists to serving in President William Ruto's government before breaking ranks to challenge his former boss.
Owalo resigned in January 2026 as Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Delivery and Government Efficiency, declaring that he was leaving government to pursue his political ambitions.
His decision effectively ended a two-year association with the President Ruto’s administration and set the stage for what is expected to be an aggressive campaign to build a national political movement.
Owalo’s political journey mirrors Kenya's shifting alliances over the last decade.
For years, Owalo was among Raila’s trusted political operatives, playing a prominent role in the former Prime Minister's presidential campaigns and policy formulation.
His deep understanding of opposition politics earned him recognition as one of Raila's key strategists before the two parted ways ahead of the 2022 elections.
In one of the most significant political defections of that campaign, Owalo joined Ruto's Kenya Kwanza coalition, arguing that the country required a new leadership approach focused on economic transformation rather than traditional political loyalties.
Following Ruto's victory, Owalo was rewarded with appointment as Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications and the Digital Economy.
During his tenure, he spearheaded the government's digital transformation agenda, expansion of digital infrastructure and efforts to increase access to online government services.
His stay in Cabinet, however, lasted less than two years.
In 2024, President Ruto dissolved almost the entire Cabinet following widespread Gen Z-led protests against the Finance Bill and mounting public anger over the cost of living, governance and corruption.
Owalo was among the Cabinet Secretaries who lost their positions as the President sought to calm public outrage through a major government shake-up.
Unlike many of his former colleagues, Owalo quickly returned to government after Ruto appointed him Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Delivery and Government Efficiency, a role tasked with monitoring implementation of government programmes and improving service delivery from State House.
His resignation from that office now signals a calculated attempt to reinvent himself as an independent national leader capable of attracting support beyond traditional political strongholds.
The unveiling of his political party comes as Kenya experiences renewed political realignments ahead of the next elections.
The Registrar of Political Parties on Monday cleared seven new political parties, underscoring the growing scramble by politicians to establish vehicles for future coalition negotiations and electoral contests.
Owalo's challenge, however, will extend beyond launching a new party.
He faces the huge task of building grassroots structures across the country, attracting influential political allies and persuade voters that he represents a credible alternative to both President Ruto's administration and the established opposition.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
Today's launch is expected to offer the clearest indication yet of Owalo's political strategy, the leaders likely to join his movement and how he intends to position himself in an increasingly crowded race for State House.
