KAKAMEGA — The Democratic Action Party of Kenya has nominated trade unionist Seth Panyako as its candidate in the Malava parliamentary by-election, setting the stage for a closely watched race in western Kenya.
Panyako, who serves as secretary-general of the Kenya National Union of Nurses, will seek to succeed Malulu Injendi, the constituency’s long-serving MP who died in February. The vote is scheduled for 27 November.
Eugene Wamalwa, the party leader, framed the contest as more than just a local race. “The Malava by-election will be a big test for the 2027 elections,” he told reporters on Thursday. He said Panyako’s nomination followed polling across all seven wards in the constituency, where he emerged as the clear front-runner.
Wamalwa urged coalition partners to back Panyako and pressed young voters to register with the electoral commission. “We urge the rest of the coalition’s partners to endorse Panyako and Gen Zs to turn out in large numbers,” he said, pointing to a new round of voter registration expected to open on 29 September.
Yet Panyako’s candidacy is already under legal challenge. A petition filed on behalf of local aspirant Caleb Burudi argues that he failed to step down from public office within the legal deadline. Burudi contends that Panyako should have resigned from his position on the board of LAPFUND, a public pension scheme, no later than 15 August — a week after the electoral commission declared the seat vacant.
The case, now before the courts, will test the boundaries of electoral law on public officers seeking political office. Panyako has defended his eligibility, with party leaders insisting he meets the requirements to contest.
For the opposition coalition that DAP-K belongs to, Malava carries symbolic weight. The seat lies in a politically contested region where alliances have often shifted in the run-up to national polls. Wamalwa’s camp sees the by-election as a chance to gauge its organisational strength ahead of 2027.
Whether Panyako’s name ultimately makes it onto the ballot may now depend as much on the courts as on party unity. For voters in Malava, the weeks ahead promise a contest shaped not only by campaign promises but also by legal wrangling.
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