Malava MP: Good news for UDA as embattled Panyako decamps to 6th party in 5 months

The Kenya National Union of Nurses Secretary General Seth Panyako has ditched Ford-Kenya party just days after joining and being endorsed by National assembly speaker Moses Wetang’ula as its flag bearer for Malava MP.

Panyako has now moved to the sixth party since the demise of area Member of Parliament Malulu Injendi early this year.

Now, it is not clear whether the former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo led United Democratic Party is his last stop after he declared to be the party’s candidate during a meeting he held in South Kabras ward.

Already, another candidate, Samuel Tsimbwela popularly known as tsimbwela we Sukari had positioned himself as the party’s candidate.

Panyako was an official in the ruling United Democratic Alliance party before resigning and exiting.

Months later, he was spotted again at the party headquarters, and his team wrote on social media that he was still and remains in the party a vehicle he used in the 2022 elections where he came second after garnering 20,133 votes against Injendi who got 22,891 votes.

Weeks later, the unionist visited the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) offices where it is said he sought a direct ticket and when he was not assured, he went silent even after his close associates attempted to open an office in Malava town.

When he found out that Advocate of the High Court Edgar Busiega was also in the party, he chickened out as he feared being floored by the youthful politician.

Recently, when the former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malalah was on mission tour to popularise the newly launched former impeached deputy president Rigathi Gachagua-led party, Democratic Citizens Party (DCP), it was his supporters who were involved in planning and coordination as they claimed that their boss had given them instructions.

Panyako was once a close associate of governor Fernandes Barasa, and it is said he had decided to use the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), a party he used while seeking to be elected the senator in the year 2017 but he hs again, jumped ship.

It is said that he has his taps run dry and needs a party that can fully fund his campaigns and that Jirongo has promised him millions of shillings to enable him to run for the position.

But even as he decamps to several parties, the ground seems to be shifting against him day in out, and he can not be guaranteed victory.

The United Democratic Alliance party is getting favour from the electorate, and whoever will be handed the ticket may easily sail through.

The party has attracted more than strong candidates among them, former Kivaywa Boys High School principal Simon Kangwana, his Bungoma High counterpart Dr. Enock Andanje, lawyer Leonard Shimaka, West Kabras ward MCA David Ndakwa and the son to the late MP, Rhyan Injendi.

The late MP was elected on the government ticket, and the area has had leaders affiliated to the government since the days of Burudi Nabwera, Joshua Angatia, and Peter Soita Shitanda.