'Hot air': Millie Odhiambo dismisses Owalo's presidential bid

Millie Odhiambo says Owalo’s presidential declaration serves as a political springboard for other elective ambitions.

Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo has played down former Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo’s declaration that he intends to contest the presidency in 2027, terming the move politically unrealistic without the backing of a major party.

In a statement, Millie argued that Owalo’s ambitions lack credibility unless they are firmly anchored within a dominant political outfit, warning that any independent or fringe-party bid would be politically untenable.

She said that without aligning himself to the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) or another major political formation, Owalo risks confining himself to the role of a regional political broker rather than emerging as a serious national contender.

“My assessment is: If he does not vie in UDA, he becomes a kingpin of a smaller party that then fights out against ODM,” Odhiambo claimed.

According to the outspoken legislator, any smaller party Owalo might associate with would inevitably find itself competing against the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), particularly in the Nyanza region where ODM enjoys entrenched grassroots support.

“A presidential bid would be hot air, a wild goose chase and a fool’s errand,” Odhiambo stated.

According to Millie, Owalo’s presidential declaration may be more strategic than substantive, serving as a political springboard for other elective ambitions rather than a genuine bid for the country’s top office.

“Maybe a launching pad for the gubernatorial position in Siaya or MP Rarieda,” Odhiambo said.

She dismissed the seriousness of a standalone presidential bid, describing it as politically impractical if pursued outside those options.

Owalo, who previously served as CS for Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, announced his bid on Sunday during the 106th commemoration of the death of his grandfather, Prophet Johanna Owalo, the founder of the Nomiya Church.