Political temperatures in Malava Constituency have soared after Trans-Nzoia Governor George Natembeya and Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale joined forces to campaign for Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) chairman Seth Panyako, who is vying for the parliamentary seat on a DAP-K ticket.
The two leaders on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, held a series of rallies across Mutsuma, St. Gerald, and Muruma, rallying residents to support Panyako in the upcoming November 27 mini-polls.
The move comes amid a storm within the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) after Senator Khalwale openly defied his party by endorsing Panyako over David Ndakwa, the official UDA candidate.
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Khalwale’s Defiance
Khalwale, who also serves as the Senate Majority Whip, has faced intense backlash from UDA’s top brass for his decision. The party has since summoned him for disciplinary action, accusing him of breaching party loyalty.
The Senator defended his stance, saying his support for Panyako was driven by fairness and a desire to uphold justice after Ryan Injendi, son of the late Malulu Injendi, lost the UDA ticket in what he termed as an unfair nomination process.
Khalwale claimed that Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi had orchestrated Ryan’s defeat, questioning why the same political goodwill that had once benefited Mudavadi was not extended to Injendi’s son.
“When Mudavadi was 28 years old, after his father passed away, he became both minister and MP for Sabatia. Western leaders then approached Moi to support him. Why couldn’t the same happen for Ryan?” Khalwale posed during one of the rallies.
Despite threats from UDA, the senator has vowed to stand firmly with Seth Panyako until his victory is secured.
DAP-K Sees a Bigger Picture
DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa has repeatedly described the Malava by-election as a litmus test for President William Ruto’s influence in Western Kenya, saying a DAP-K victory would restore “the region’s political dignity.”
Wamalwa, who recently presented Panyako’s nomination papers to the IEBC alongside Khalwale, expressed confidence in his candidate’s lead.
“Among the competitors, Panyako is leading by a double margin, with UDA’s Ndakwa trailing far behind,” Wamalwa said.
Governor Natembeya — who has had a rocky relationship with Wamalwa despite being in the same party — has also hit the campaign trail, mobilizing support for Panyako through his own independent rallies.
While Wamalwa and Natembeya are conducting separate campaign programs, their shared support for Panyako has signaled an unusual show of unity within DAP-K amid internal differences.
As the Malava by-election draws closer, the battle lines are clearly drawn — setting up what many observers believe will be a high-stakes political showdown that could redefine Western Kenya’s political direction ahead of 2027.