List for Malava MP grows thinner

The race to replace late Malava member of Parliament Malulu Injendi is already taking shape even before the Independent Electoral boundaries Commission is put in place with now the number of notable candidates narrowing down to five from over 30 candidates who have declared interest.

It is now emerging that the young candidates will face off with the aged who are finding it hard to convince the electorates that they can serve them well after years of service in other position with no impact on lives of the people but many have bad records who now will be key in offering them the opportunity to serve.

Also, party politics are likely to play a role even as clan politics takes a centrestage in determining who becomes the next leader.

They young politicians giving their old colleagues sleepless night are Nairobi based businessman Wilberforce Tuvei,lawyer Edgar Busiega, and the late MP’s son Rhyan Injendi all who are crisscrossing the constituency in search of votes.

Tuvei appears to be a stronger youthful candidate owing to his ability to mount a serious campaign without relying on support from well wishers and political party funding if his recent moves are anything to go by.

Coming from then populous Abashu subclan of the larger Kabras clan and his candidature being accepted across the whole constituency gives him a headstart against the rest of his youthful politicians.

He is yet to declare his party of choice and believe that people of Malav will vote in a servant not based on which party but ability to deliver on his manifesto and the expectations of the electorates.

Injendi, on the other hand, is battling the force of his cousin Busiega, who had hit the ground even before the death of his late father.

Busiega appears to have a bigger say in the Abasonje subclan of the late mp as many argue that it will be an abomination for his son to seek the position he held before his death this early.

They say the spirit of his father have not rested.

Injendi is vying on the government party, the United Democratic Alliance.

Busiega is associated with the opposition politics and lately he has been the most sought politician by both Democratic Action party of Kenya party and the Democratic Citizens party which is associated with the former impeached deputy president Rigathi Gachagua.

It is not clear which vehicle he will choose.

Old politicians who appear to be struggling to make inroads are Simon Kangwana who recently sought a study leave from Kivaywa High School where he has been a principal the past two years and his Bungoma high school counterpart Enock Andanje.

The duo may need a lot of resources and force to win as they face rejection from the young voters who have vowed not to vote for individuals who are in their fifties.

Also their past record and close association with the late mp especially on the matters of the national government constituency development fund where they are believed to be contractors through companies they are listed as directors with some being used to loot millions of shillings from the public coffers for some contracts some which have stalled is their most undoing.

The two are associated with the United Democratic Alliance party as the fight for the ticket hots up, and they hail from the populous manda/Shivanga ward, which is dominated by the Abatovo subclan

Kangwana comes from the Abatali subclan that has already endorsed former Malava boys high school principal Daniel Mwachi, and his candidature goes against the wish of the subclan.

For Andanje,his subclan of Abatovo is divided on who to bless between him and the Kenya National Union of Nurses Secretary General Seth Panyako, who appears to be a stronger candidate.

Panyako is seeking to become mp through the former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo led United Democratic party.

He came second after garnering 20,133 votes against Injendi who got 22,891 votes to be declared winner in an election that was contested in court and ruled in favour of the late mp.

Other individuals are West Kabras, a ward member of county assembly David Ndakwa, and Lawyer Leonard Shimaka, who are still struggling to market themselves even as their candidature receives less attention from the elctorate.