The upcoming Malava by-election is promising to be a major litmus test for Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi as he seeks to recapture the seat that was held by his now-folded Amani National Congress (ANC).
The late Malulu was among seven MPs elected on ANC in the 2022 General Election. ANC has since folded to join Dr Ruto’s UDA.
Mr Malulu was first elected to parliament in 2013 on a little-known Maendeleo Democratic Party (MDP) and proceeded to reclaim the seat in 2017 on ANC party. In the 2022 polls, Mr Malulu garnered 22,891 votes on ANC, beating his closest competitor, Seth Panyako of UDA, who got 20,133 votes, ahead of Joab Manyasi of ODM with 11,983 votes.
Seth Panyako.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group.
The outcome of the mini-poll is crucial for Mr Mudavadi as it would be a pointer to his influence in the Western region that is facing major political realignments, including the entry of new political players and parties.
In the 2022 contest, Mr Mudavadi failed to deliver the vote of his Vihiga home county to President Ruto after ODM leader Raila Odinga garnered 114,717 votes, almost twice what the former managed, 67,631.
On Thursday, he held a consultative meeting with over 100 clan chairpersons and elders drawn from the 29 Kabras clans, the dominant sub-tribe in Malava. He told the meeting of his plan to ensure UDA wins the seat.
“Until you elect a new Member of Parliament, I stand as your patron in Malava. We must move forward together, build on the strong foundation left by our late brother Injendi, and ensure that the development agenda remains on course,” said Mr Mudavadi.
“Do not let temporary excitement blind you. If you sell your father’s land to buy a trumpet, where will you stand to blow it?” he posed.
He also asked the elders to lead the locals in weighing the candidates’ qualities, leadership records, and alignment with the government’s development agenda.
“I have walked with you through good times and trials. Now I appeal to you: let us get a UDA candidate the President and I can work with, someone who will champion Malava’s development agenda at the national level.”
The campaigns have since intensified, largely pitting UDA, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) and Democratic Action Party (DAP-K) of Eugene Wamalwa.
Rhyan Injendi.
Photo credit: Pool
Other major parties like Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) of Raila Odinga, Ford Kenya of National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula are also likely to join the fray. ODM remains the most dominant party in Kakamega County, having secured eight out of the 12 parliamentary seats while ANC won Malava and Shinyalu.
The Malava seat has since attracted more than 30 aspirants, but the contest could narrow down to a few leading front-runners who are attracting the interests of major political parties and players to their side.
Some of the perceived front-runners in the race include Mr Panyako (DAP-K), lawyer Edgar Busiega (DCP), the late Malulu's son Rhyan Injendi (UDA), Caleb Sunguti (Roots Party), retired Bungoma High School Principal Enock Andanje (UDA), lawyer Leornard Shimaka (UDA), Simon Kangwana (UDA) and Wilberforce Tuvei (UDP).
Others in the race are Caleb Burudi, Dr Enock Makanga, Benjamin Nalwa, Jonah Barasa, Daniel Mwachi, Lewis Shitanda, Prof Philip Kutima and Toli Mukoyani, Lazarus Lucheveleli, Taliti Shilunji, Kilian Sospeter, Tsimbwela Wesukari and Michael Angatia.
Also in the race are Dr Wanangwe Kulecho, Simon White, George Munji, Samuel Liguru, Joab Manyasi, Ryan Injendi, Shivachi Angatia, John Kwatenge, Naomi Shiyonga, Leonard Shimaka and David Ndakwa.
Mr Ndakwa, Shimaka and Tuvei come from the highly populated Abashu sub-clan of the larger Kabras clan, while Mr Andanje and Panyako are from the third group of the Abatobo clan, and Ryan Injendi and Busiega come from Abasonje who are the second most populous after Abashu. The area has never voted for a leader who is over 50 years old. Most of the past leaders were elected in their early 40s or late 30s.
DCP deputy party leader Cleophas Malala on Saturday unveiled Mr Busiega in a rally in Kabras East ward. Mr Malala said, despite DCP being a new political formation, they are determined to challenge established political forces in the country in the upcoming by-elections.
"Already, we have two strong candidates in Malava and Banisa constituencies who we trust to bring us victory,” said Mr Malala. Mr Busiega, a former ANC party member, moved to DAP-K following the folding of ANC, before finally moving to DCP of Mr Gachagua.
In a recent interview with the Nation, Kakamega Deputy Governor Ayub Savula observed that both UDA and ODM would have difficulty in Malava. Malava is one of the constituencies in Kakamega that has never elected an ODM candidate.
“Malava will be a big battle. Malava has never embraced ODM. The only remaining Luhya parties of Ford Kenya and DAP-K would be easy to sell. It would also be hard selling UDA,” says Mr Savula.
