Panyako at crossroads as parties give him wide berth in Malava by-election

The Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun) Secretary General Seth Panyako is aman under siege ahead of the Malava constituency by-election.

As the clock ticks closer towards a declaration of vacancy in the constituency by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Panyako is yet to settle on a preferred party for his bid.

Just days ago, President William Ruto set the stage for a by-election after he nominated names for the reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

The race for the Malava seat has attracted over 30 hopefuls, most of whom have already aligned to political parties, but for Panyako, party hopping has become his hobby of late.

He has visited offices and associated with more than four parties in less than three months, and many are left wondering what has become of the once a vibrant politician whose support is dwindling day in out.

Panyako first declared that he would vie on the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party before suddenly shifting to the Eugene Wamalwa-led Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) where his stay did not last before associating himself with Ford Kenya (FORD-K) party and now word has it that he has been making visits to the Cyrus Jirongo led United Democratic Party (UDP) party offices.

He sensationally publicised his resignation from the UDA party after his efforts to hoodwink the party secretary General Hassan Omar into assuring him of a direct ticket but failed even after making visits to the party’s offices.

Many wondered on his dramatized resignation yet he has never been part of the UDA party after he started throwing insults and epithets at the Party and its leadership more than 2 years ago.

At Chui House, Panyako is said to have bragged on how he enjoys support in the area politics only to be told dynamics change and this did not go down well with him and proceeded to have some dalliance with Ford Kenya but all indications show that his heart is no longer with the Moses Wetang’ula led party.

In all the parties he has sought, our source intimate that he demanded to be accorded financial support and cars to run his campaigns a demand that seems to have been ignored leaving him angry and desperate.

Also, it is claimed he insists on being handed a direct ticket as he condescendingly looks down upon all other aspirants claiming that he is the best despite his own Abatovo clan having rejected him and endorsed high school principal Enock Andanje.

While DAP-K party has lawyer and Advocate of the High Court Edgar Busiega, Ford Kenya party is set to hand Rhyan Injendi the ticket while UDP party has already settled on Samuel Tsimbwela Wesukari leaving Panyako with limited options.

More than four candidates are lined up in the ruling party United Democratic Alliance party among them Leonard Shimaka, Simon Kangwana, Enock Andanje and David Ndakwa and it is said the party will not hold nominations but hand a direct ticket to the candidate of choice while the others will be promoted or promised jobs.

It is now said that he is throwing tantrums and also issuing threats and blackmailing political parties alleging that he runs a big union and must be issued a direct nomination or else he will go as an Independent candidate.

However, word has it that the nurses’ union he is banking on has rejected him with many members opting to leave or withdraw membership due to his bad leadership style.