Malava, here comes your next MP

The race to replace the late Malava Member of Parliament Malulu Injendi is already taking shape even before the Independent Electoral boundaries Commission (IEBC) is reconstituted.

As it stands,the battle seems to be between those aligned to the government against those in the Opposition side.

Already, most candidates have started aligning themselves and are crisscrossing the constituency in search of support from the residents.

More than 32 candidates have shown interest in the seat.

The President William Ruto-led United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party has six contestants, among them the late MP’s son Rhyan Injendi, Kivaywa High School principal Simon Kangwana, Wilberforce Tuvei, Commisionner of Police Nelson Taliti Shilunji, Advocate of the High Court Leonard Shimaka, West Kabras ward MCA David Ndakwa and Bungoma High School chief principal Enock Andanje.

It is said that the president’s aide, Faruk Kibet, and higher education permanent secretary Dr. Beatrice Inyangala have been tasked to lead the campaigns in the area on behalf of the ruling party.

This arrangement, word on the street says, has not gone down well with the Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi that wanted pro-Ndakwa to be endorsed without being subjected to party nominations.

Their argument was pegged on the understanding that Ndakwa having been a member of the dissolved ANC party and now UDA, should have been automatically been given the party ticket as he is also the senior most politician at the County Assembly.

However, Ndakwa is said to be not keen on contesting the MP’s seat if he’s not assured of direct nomination as he is also not ready to resign as MCA.

Understandably, the presence and involvement of Farouk Kibet, an outsider, is causing more harm to those aligned to the ruling party and to the advantage of those aligned to the Opposition groups.

All party candidates are now seen as his stooges who can not even think on their own or even mount campaigns without his direct authority.

On the other hand, Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K ), which is led by Eugene Wamalwa, has four candidates lined up.

Among them is the youth’s favourite Edgar Busiega who is giving Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Secretary General Seth Panyako sleepless nights over the party’s ticket.

Others are security expert Enock Makanga and politician Caleb Burudi.

The camp that is seen as the opposition has of late been enjoying huge support, and any individual coming on it has an upper hand of an early win.

Also, Roots Party has already settled on veteran Caleb Sunguti.

Sunguti had been a thorn in the flesh of the late MP and has led a series of petitions and development initiatives in the area.

Politician Benjamin Nalwa will be flying the National Economic Development party ticket in the by election, as former Malava Boys High School principal Daniel Mwachi is said to be considering running as an independent candidate.

Samuel Tsimbwela, commonly referred to as Tsimbwela we Sukari has already picked former Lugari MP MP Cyrus Jirongo’s United Democratic Party (UDP) party as his vehicle.

It is not clear whether lawyer Lewis Shitanda has called it a day in the hot politics as he went missing immediately after his Abatali subclan rejected him and endorsed Mwachi as their preferred candidate.

Clan politics have played a major role in Malava’s politics and candidates have to put in more efforts to convince all these subclans to back their bids.

The disadvantaged ones are those hailing from the minority subclans while those from the major ones have always had to court some of the minorities, a good example being of the late Cabinet Minister Peter Soita Shitanda who mastered how to play the subclan cards.

For the late Injendi, he always had the upper hand as he hails from the Abasonje who are part of the majority and would vote as a bloc to grant him victory for three consecutive terms.

This bloc is slowly turning its support to Lawyer Edgar Busiega whom they feel espouses their aspirations as compared to the late MP’s son who they have warned against running for the seat.

As it stands, the next likely MP will emerge from the three majority subclans of Abashuu, Abasonje, and Abatovo.

Busiega, Panyako, and Taliti are seen as the front runners and individuals who can mount a serious campaign without necessarily relying on support, especially external.

In the Abatali subclan, the candidature of Simon Kangwana can not be wished away, and should he sustain his moves, then he will be an individual to watch.

The youth vote, already coalescing around Busiega is another factor likely to tilt the scales as the youth keep agitating for representation at the decision making levels.

Other hopefuls are still blowing hot and cold without expressly indicating which direction they arelikely to swing to.