Eliud Owalo Declares Presidential Bid on PPP Ticket, Promises Tax Cuts, Anti-Corruption Drive and Kenya's 'Third Liberation' if Elected

By Gedion Nzyoki -

NAIROBI, Kenya, July 8, 2026 — Presidential aspirant Eliud Owalo has officially declared his bid for the presidency on the People's Prosperity Party (PPP) ticket, unveiling an ambitious economic agenda anchored on tax cuts, anti-corruption reforms, public debt accountability and what he described as Kenya's "Third Liberation."

Presidential hopeful Eliud Owalo addresses supporters during the official unveiling of the People's Prosperity Party (PPP) at Ustawi House in Nairobi on Wednesday. Photo: Christopher

Speaking on Wednesday during the official launch of the People's Prosperity Party and the unveiling of its headquarters, Ustawi House, in Nairobi, Owalo said Kenya had achieved political independence and democratic freedoms but was yet to attain true economic liberation.

"Today, I officially announce that I intend to seek the presidency of the Republic of Kenya on the People's Prosperity Party," Owalo declared.

He expressed confidence that Kenyans would hand him victory in the August 17, 2027 General Election, saying a PPP government would usher in an economic revolution under the party's slogan, Ustawi kwa Wote (Prosperity for All).

Calls for Kenya's 'Third Liberation'

The former Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy argued that although Kenya attained independence in 1963 and embraced multiparty democracy in the 1990s, millions of citizens continue to live in poverty because of decades of economic exclusion.

Supporters and aspiring candidates of the PPP Party gather at the party headquarters during the official unveiling of the party. Photo: Nadupa TV (Facebook)

According to the presidential hopeful, the country's next phase of transformation should focus on dismantling economic systems that perpetuate inequality.

"The one and only liberation remaining today has to be economic. We must free Kenyans from poverty and economic exclusion," he said.

The seasoned economist accused successive governments of preserving colonial-era economic structures that benefit a small elite while leaving millions of Kenyans trapped in poverty.

Owalo Criticises Inequality and Poverty

Owalo painted a grim picture of Kenya's socio-economic challenges, saying millions of citizens still lack access to decent housing, quality healthcare, clean water and meaningful economic opportunities despite more than six decades of independence.

He cited inequality statistics to argue that wealth remains concentrated in the hands of a few individuals while millions struggle to meet their basic needs.

The former Cabinet Secretary also blamed the country's existing economic structures for denying farmers, fishermen, artisans, factory workers, miners, mama mboga traders and young people the full value of their labour.

According to him, brokers and middlemen continue to reap the largest share of profits while primary producers remain impoverished.

Owalo Pledges to Reform Value Chains Under a PPP Government

The strategic planning expert pledged that a PPP administration would restructure agricultural and blue economy value chains by enabling producers to own processing plants, storage facilities, brands and export channels.

He said the reforms would significantly increase household incomes while creating employment opportunities in logistics, manufacturing, agro-processing and trade.

Owalo also called for the expansion of economic empowerment programmes in historically marginalised regions beyond the current Equalisation Fund established under Article 204 of the Constitution.

Owalo Promises Lower Taxes to Ease Cost of Living if Elected President

Owalo said sweeping tax reforms would form the cornerstone of his economic agenda, arguing that reducing the tax burden would stimulate economic activity, increase disposable income and broaden the country's tax base.

The presidential aspirant pledged to reduce income tax from 35 per cent to 20 per cent, lower Value Added Tax (VAT) from 16 per cent to 10 per cent, abolish the Digital Tax to support Kenya's digital and creative economy, and cut corporate tax by five percentage points to encourage investment and job creation.

He maintained that broadening the tax base, rather than increasing tax rates, was the most sustainable way to boost government revenue while easing the cost of living for Kenyans.

Owalo argued that Kenya should prioritise expanding the tax base instead of raising tax rates.

"People cannot pay what they do not have," he said, adding that only about nine million of an estimated 27 million potential taxpayers currently pay taxes because millions remain outside gainful economic activity.

War on Corruption

Corruption featured prominently in Owalo's address, with the presidential aspirant describing it as "the elephant in the room."

The former Cabinet Secretary pledged to fully digitise government services to eliminate revenue leakages associated with manual systems.

Citing his tenure as Cabinet Secretary responsible for ICT, Owalo said he oversaw the expansion of digitised government services from approximately 350 to more than 22,000, a move he claimed increased daily government revenue collections from about KSh60 million to KSh1 billion.

"If we digitise all government services, those who have been stealing through manual processes will no longer have the opportunity to steal public resources," he said.

He also pledged to reopen unresolved corruption cases dating back to the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution, promising impartial investigations and prosecutions free from political interference.

The Party (PPP's) Vision 

Owalo described the People's Prosperity Party as the ideal political vehicle to champion Kenya's economic transformation.

He said the party's ideology of distributed social democracy seeks to promote equitable wealth distribution, social justice and shared prosperity.

According to him, the party's vision is to build a productive and inclusive economy that empowers every Kenyan with opportunity, dignity and economic security.

He maintained that a PPP administration would prioritise wealth creation, enterprise development and accountability while ensuring that economic growth benefits all Kenyans rather than a privileged few.