Former deputy chief of staff for delivery and government efficiency Eliud Owalo has given a detailed account of the political disagreements that led to his fallout with late former prime minister and ODM leader Raila Odinga, insisting the rift had nothing to do with national campaign politics.
Speaking during a radio interview on Sunday, Owalo said the misunderstandings emerged much later, after his stint as head of Raila’s presidential campaign, and were instead rooted in local political dynamics in Nairobi’s Kibra constituency.
He revealed that tensions arose when he expressed interest in contesting the Kibra parliamentary seat.
According to Owalo, he initially entered the race with what he described as Raila’s tacit approval, only for that position to change abruptly.
He said Odinga later appeared to prefer a different candidate, a shift Owalo claims was never clearly explained to him.
“The misunderstandings that were there between him and me had nothing to do with my being head of the presidential campaign, but events much later, when it came to issues in Kibra politics,” Owalo said.
“I wanted to run for the Kibra parliamentary seat… but later on, he appeared to have changed his mind and preferred a different candidate.”
Owalo said the change prompted a direct conversation between the two, during which he chose to walk away from the process.
He maintained, however, that the political disagreement did not translate into personal hostility.
“I had a sitting with him, and I told him, look, I cannot take this, and I’m walking away. But despite all that, we maintained a very cordial relationship,” he said.
Despite stressing the cordiality, Owalo did not hide his disappointment, accusing senior politicians of inconsistency and dishonesty. He said he felt misled and described the episode as an example of what he termed “political deceit.”
Owalo argued that such behaviour discourages emerging leaders and undermines trust within political movements.
“Career politicians find it very easy to tell lies and get away with it,” he said, questioning how leaders can reverse positions within hours without accountability.
The remarks come as Owalo positions himself for higher national office, with the former ICT cabinet secretary increasingly vocal about internal party democracy, leadership integrity, and the challenges facing reform-minded politicians within established political structures.