By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 11 January 2026 - A new political and economic message is taking root in Nyanza as Deputy Chief of Staff Eliud Owalo urges the region to abandon endless political contests and embrace a development-first mindset aligned with President William Ruto’s vision of transforming Kenya into a globally competitive economy modeled on Singapore.
Speaking to regional leaders and residents, Owalo made it clear that Nyanza’s future will not be built through opposition politics, but through hard infrastructure, industrialisation and market-driven growth.
“We must move away from politics for the sake of politics and focus on development that changes the lives of our people,” Owalo said.
“The world does not reward noise. It rewards productivity, investment and efficiency. That is what we must pursue in Nyanza.”
Owalo’s intervention comes as Ruto’s administration sharpens its ambition to reengineer Kenya into a high-performing economy similar to Singapore — a small country that rose from poverty to prosperity through disciplined governance, aggressive investment in infrastructure, export-driven growth and zero tolerance for inefficiency.
Ruto has repeatedly argued that Kenya must become “a nation of producers, not beggars,” insisting that economic transformation — not political rivalry — will define the country’s next chapter. Owalo’s message in Nyanza reflects that same logic: regions that align with development will thrive; those trapped in political quarrels will be left behind.
To underline his point, Owalo laid out a portfolio of major projects that could fundamentally shift Nyanza’s economic trajectory if fully embraced. He pointed to large-scale water and irrigation schemes designed to stabilise farming and unlock agro-processing, transport corridors that will integrate the Lake Region into national and regional markets, and modernisation of ports, airports and landing sites to support exports and tourism.
“These projects are not promises — they are economic tools,” Owalo said.
“When we build dams, roads, rail and airports, we are building jobs, industries and income for families. That is how you defeat poverty, not through rallies and slogans.”
The push mirrors the Singapore model that Ruto often references — a country that focused relentlessly on infrastructure, trade, logistics, and investor confidence to become one of the world’s most competitive economies. In that model, political stability serves economic growth, not the other way around.
Owalo warned that Nyanza has for too long allowed politics to crowd out opportunity. “We have spent decades arguing about who leads us instead of how we grow,” he said. “But leadership is meaningful only when it delivers water to farms, electricity to factories and markets to traders.”
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The Deputy Chief of Staff argued that regions that cooperate with the national government will be better positioned to benefit from Ruto’s aggressive development agenda, which prioritises industrial parks, export hubs, value addition and modern logistics — all hallmarks of Singapore’s rise.
“President Ruto wants Kenya to compete with the best economies in the world. That means every region must play its part,” Owalo said. “Nyanza has enormous potential in agriculture, fisheries, mining, tourism and trade. If we organise it properly, this region can be an economic powerhouse.”
His remarks also carry a political subtext. As 2027 approaches, Nyanza’s internal leadership struggles are intensifying. But Owalo is urging leaders to step away from succession battles and align with the government’s growth agenda instead.
“The voter of the future will not ask who shouted the loudest, but who delivered the most,” he said. “We must support leaders who bring projects, investments and jobs. That is the only politics that matters now.”
Ruto’s Singapore-inspired blueprint depends on regions abandoning zero-sum politics in favour of cooperation and performance. In that framework, counties that work with the centre become engines of growth, while those stuck in opposition risk missing out on strategic investments.
Owalo believes Nyanza stands at a crossroads. It can remain tied to old political identities, or it can reposition itself as a development partner in a rapidly modernising Kenya.
“We have a choice,” he said.
“We can stay trapped in yesterday’s politics, or we can join tomorrow’s economy. Development is not about ideology — it is about results.”
As Ruto pushes to build a disciplined, export-driven, investment-friendly Kenya, Owalo’s message is clear: Nyanza’s future will be decided not by who controls the political microphone, but by who connects the region to the national engine of growth.
