Wetang’ula rocks Malava UDA as he picks side in shock move

Confusion has rocked the Kenya Kwanza team spearheading succession campaigns in Malava Constituency ahead of an impending by-election following the death of area MP Moses Malulu Injendi.

This is after the Speaker of the National Assembly held a shocking meeting at the home of a former nominated ODM MCA, Mildred Waluvengo, in the area at the weekend barely hours after meeting President William Ruto.

Wetang’ula had joined Ruto in Lugari Constituency where the head of state donated a bus to the United Society of Friends Women (USFW) of Kivaywa Friends (Quakers) Church.

In the meeting where the media was immediately kicked out after the arrival of Wetang’ula, it is claimed that unionist Seth Panyako was picked as Wetang’ula’s preferred candidate to run for the seat on a Ford-Kenya party ticket.

The meeting, mobilised by the Panyako team members, was attended by among other politicians, Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera, Kakai Bisau (Kiminini) and Emmanuel Wangwe of Navakholo.

Also, the Kakamega county woman representative Elsie Muhanda attended and wooed voters to support Panyako.

In the last election, Panyako came second after garnering 20,133 votes against the late Malulu Injendi who got 22,891 votes.

Wetang’ula, according to those who attended the late evening meeting assured the electorate that they agreed with the president that the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party would not field a candidate.

This has left unanswered questions about the fate of the more than six candidates who had already declared interest on the party among them, Advocate of the High Court Leonard Shimaka, former Kivaywa High School principal Simon Kangwana and his Bungoma counterpart Dr Enock Andanje, Commissioner of police Nelson Taliti and the late MP’s son Rhyan Injendi.

Insiders say Wetang’ula’s decision was arrived at after realization that UDA, being pushed by ruto’s aide Farouk Kibet, was unpopular and headed for a major loss.

Also, it is understood that the ruling party was getting intel that opposition party, Democratic Alliance Party of Kenya (DAP-K) led by Eugene Wamalwa was headed for a major win as it has attracted big wigs.

But now many say Panyako decision to join a government affiliate party may be counterproductive as his popularity will quickly wane away for what they say is dining with the oppressors of the common people.

On the other hand, word on the street is that Advocate Edgar Busiega is headed to reap big as he is the only remaining heavy weight in DAP-K and likely to be given a direct ticket.

Even before the demise of Malulu, Busiega was already a big name and had boldly indicated his intention to dethrone the late despite the two hailing from the same sub-clan of Basonje and the late was his uncle.

The by-election has attracted more than 32 candidates, and the race seems to be narrowing down between the youth versus the old.

Wilberforce Tuvei, Shimaka, and Busiega, who are all youthful, will battle out with Panyako and Kangwana, the old folks.

It is not clear whether the late MP’sson Rhyan Injendi will go up to the ballot as he seems not ready to go for party nominations as he was hoping to be handed a direct ticket.

Injendi has been making several visits to the homes of senior politicians to ask for support and recently with his team he met the Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa days after he met Bungoma’s Kennedy Lusaka.

Before that, he had just held another meeting with Farouk Kibet.

A source close to him has also confirmed that he has been reaching out to the former impeached deputy president Rigathi Gachagua’s team through former Kakamega county senator Cleophas Malala to ask for consideration for a direct ticket on the newly launched Democratic Citizens Party (DCP).