People’s Prosperity Party (PPP) presidential aspirant Eliud Owalo
People’s Prosperity Party (PPP) presidential aspirant Eliud Owalo has condemned remarks attributed to nominated MP calling on members of a particular community living in the Rift Valley who do not support President William Ruto’s re-election to leave the region.
Owalo said the remarks were inflammatory and risked reigniting ethnic tensions in a country still grappling with the scars of the 2007/2008 post-election violence.
In a statement, Owalo urged the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to act on rhetoric that threatens national cohesion and peace.
He said the remarks were particularly concerning given that Kenya is preparing for the 2027 General Election.
“We must, therefore, never allow a similar experience to occur again, at all costs,” Owalo said, referring to the post-election violence that followed the disputed 2007 election.
The former government official said the remarks, contained in a video circulating on social media, amounted to an affront to citizens’ constitutional rights.
He cited Article 38 of the Constitution, which guarantees every citizen fundamental political rights, including the freedom to make political choices and participate in elections.
Owalo also cited Article 39, which guarantees freedom of movement and residence, noting that every citizen has the right to enter, remain in and reside anywhere in Kenya.
He further invoked Chapter Six of the Constitution, particularly Article 73, which sets out the responsibilities and ethical standards expected of leaders and requires public authority to be exercised in a manner that promotes public confidence.
Call for equal application of law
Owalo said political leaders have a responsibility to promote national unity and peaceful coexistence among Kenya’s communities rather than exploit ethnic divisions for political gain.
“As leaders, we must stop the trend of ethnic mobilisation currently being witnessed in the country and desist from using ethnicity as a tool for political expediency,” he said.
He called on the relevant agencies to ensure that the law is applied equally to politicians regardless of their political affiliation.
According to Owalo, leaders allied to the opposition who oppose the “two-term mantra” should not be treated differently from those supporting President Ruto’s re-election.
He warned against a situation where political competition ahead of the 2027 polls degenerates into an ethnic contest.
The Rift Valley, he noted, remains particularly sensitive because of the devastation caused by the 2007/2008 post-election violence.
Owalo said inflammatory political rhetoric could reopen wounds from the past and threaten the country’s peace and cohesion.
He also reminded Kenyans of their constitutional right to choose their leaders without coercion.
“Kenyans have a right to make their own political choices and, consequently, a right to elect leaders of their preference free from coercion by any quarter,” he said.
Owalo is seeking the presidency on the PPP ticket in the 2027 General Election.
