In a bold move aimed at breathing new life into Kenya’s public administration, President William Ruto designated Mr. Eliud Owalo, the Deputy Chief of Staff formerly responsible for Performance and Delivery Management, to head the newly empowered Government Efficiency Office.
This strategic appointment underscores the Kenya Kwanza administration’s firm resolve to embed efficiency in government operations, ensure the prudent utilization of limited public resources, and maximize value for money in service delivery. It reflects a decisive shift by the President toward revitalizing public service through strengthened institutional accountability, making public servants more answerable for results, and guaranteeing that every shilling spent delivers tangible benefits to citizens.
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This directive was formalized under Executive Order No. 1 of 2025, issued on June 9, 2025, which reorganized the structure of government to embed operational enhancements and realign functions for maximum effectiveness.
A Strategic Choice for Delivery and Results
To lead this critical reform agenda, President Ruto appointed Mr. Eliud Owalo, a results-oriented strategist and former Cabinet Secretary for ICT and the Digital Economy as Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Delivery and Government Efficiency.
Government insiders have intimated that Mr. Owalo’s selection was intentional, based on his high work ethic and established record of reform, performance, and integrity, attributes that significantly came to the fore during his tenure as Cabinet Secretary for ICT, during which time he spearheaded Kenya’s digital transformation with great success.
During his tenure as ICT CS, the Ministry ranked the least corrupt in government by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission further validating his credentials.
Beyond these achievements, Mr. Owalo has been a vocal advocate for independence in government delivery systems. In his current role overseeing the Government Delivery Unit, he has consistently criticized political interference in project implementation and procurement processes, calling out rogue contractors, correctly identifying political interference as a cause of delays, ghost contracts, and declining public trust. His appointment is widely regarded as a strategic masterstroke that brings energy, passion, discipline, clarity, and implementation capacity to a reform agenda that demands both political will and technical precision.
The Efficiency Mandate Domiciled at The Heart of Power
The Government Efficiency Office is domiciled within the Executive Office of the President, reflecting the high strategic importance the administration places on operational reforms. While Mr. Owalo oversees the office’s day-to-day mandate, it operates under the overall leadership of Mr. Felix Koskei, the Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service, further cementing the connection between political will and executive implementation.
Among the core offices within the Executive Office of the President, this new office stands out as a central command for transforming government efficiency across ministries, departments, and agencies.
Why Efficiency Matters Now More Than Ever
Over the past two years, Kenyans have grown increasingly disillusioned with the pace and performance of government, demanding urgent action to address persistent inefficiencies in public service delivery, rampant corruption, wasteful spending, and delays in implementing critical projects. The erosion of trust in public institutions has been compounded by stalled infrastructure development, overlapping mandates, bureaucratic inefficiencies, opaque procurement systems, and a lack of visible accountability. Overall, there is growing public dissatisfaction with the government’s slow progress in actualizing the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
The formation of G.E.O. appears to reflect the Presidents deliberate decision to move from rhetoric to action by re-focusing his administration’s attention on efficiency, last-mile delivery, and demonstrable value for public money. It is also apparent that with the 2027 general election on the horizon, President Ruto intends to seek a second term anchored on a strong delivery record, one defined by verifiable results that citizens can see, touch, and feel.
These challenges have undermined trust in public institutions and delayed the realization of national development goals. The creation of the Government Efficiency Office is a direct response to these long-standing grievances. It is designed to inject discipline, coordination, and transparency into the heart of government.
Government Must Work Smarter
President Ruto’s decision to entrust this portfolio to Mr. Eliud Owalo reflects a deep-seated political will to reengineer operations. It is a recognition that governance must evolve from bureaucracy-heavy processes to agile, transparent, and citizen-focused delivery mechanisms.
Central to his role is the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, President Ruto’s ambitious vision to transform the economy from the bottom up through inclusivity, innovation, and structural reforms. Under Mr. Owalo’s stewardship, government delivery systems will be realigned to ensure every public entity contributes meaningfully to this transformative blueprint.
Kenya’s development ambitions hinge on an efficient, accountable, and high-performing public service. With the establishment of the Government Efficiency Office and the appointment of Mr. Eliud Owalo to lead it, President Ruto is laying down the clearest statement that Kenyans deserve a government that works, where delivery is not an afterthought, but the standard. Mr. Owalo’s mandate is clear: turn lofty visions into measurable reality and restore trust by making efficiency the heartbeat of public service.
