UDA candidate leap-frogs rivals in Malava race after Mudavadi, Wetang’ula nod

Considered the runaway front-runner, a combination of factors and events appear to be still aligning the stars in favour of David Ndakwa, the Malava United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party candidate in the November 27 by-election.

The Kabras West Member of County Assembly (MCA) seems to be headed for a major victory only weeks after he garnered the full backing of Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, two of the main political players in the former Western Province.

Malava’s parliamentary seat fell vacant following the demise of immediate former seat holder Moses Malulu Injendi.

Ndakwa’s victory chances have  also been boosted by failure of the United Opposition to field a single contestant against him.

The Kakamega County Minority Leader first got the greenlight to victory after the three losers in the UDA nominations of September 20 collectively agreed to rally behind him.

Four other contenders from the Opposition ranks: Caleb Sunguti of Roots Party, Enock Makanga (Jubilee Party), Caleb Burudi (DAP-K) and Bruce Shivakale of EPP have all defected to UDA and thrown their weight behind Nandwa. 

Following reconciliatory efforts spearheaded by President William Ruto’s personal assistant Farouk Kibet, the unsuccessful candidates – Simon Kangwana, Leonard Shimaka and Ryan Injendi’, the son of immediate former MP, Moses Malulu Injendi – unanimously agreed to back Ndakwa.

The quartet’s patch-up was soon followed by high profile visits from Mudavadi, Wetangula, Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa and his Bungoma counterpart Ken Lusaka – all who have been to the constituency more than four times since mid September – accompanied by Farouk and Higher Education Principal Secretary Dr. Beatrice Inyangala to lend Ndakwa their support.

Mudavadi is understood to be bracing to return to the constituency where he intends to camp next week with senior UDA leadership to conduct a  massive all-systems-go campaign at the grassroots in favour of Ndakwa.

Indeed, the Malava by-election is a very serious, albeit delicate, affair for Mudavadi as it touches on his popularity on the ground where he has held sway for almost two decades.

Much so because, like the late Malulu, Ndakwa was elected on the ticket of the Amani National Congress (ANC), an outfit  founded by Mudavadi and of which he was the Party Leader until September 2022 when he joined President Ruto’s Cabinet.

READ ALSO: Without guilt: Malava MP aspirant drops from race, supports UDA’s Ndakwa

Though ANC has since merged with UDA, the Malava constituency seat is widely considered as Mudavadi’s baby and which he must reclaim.

Indeed, campaigners for Ndakwa’s main opponent, Seth Ambusini Panyako, the secretary-general of the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN), have reduced their conversations to a mere  Mudavadi-Wetang’ula-Farouk-Ruto affair.

Panyako’s front-lane campaigners include Mumias East MP Peter Salasya, Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, former Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo and Trans-Nzoia Governor George Natembeya.

They have done very little to campaign for Panyako, instead pouring all their energies and time on inflammatory tirades against Ruto, Mudavadi, Wetang’ula and Farouk, a strategy that has not gone down well with the Malava electorate. 

Apart from Panyako, Ndakwa will also be facing six other opponents. 

They are Benjamin Nalwa of the National Ordinary People Empowerment (NOPEU), James Shinachi Angatia, the son of former late area MP and Health Minister Joshua Mulanda Angatia of Alliance for Real Change and Wilberforce Tuvei of Kenya Moja Alliance. 

Lawyer Edgar Busiega of Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) has since beaten a retreat and thrown his weight behind Panyako.

Ndakwa is a close ally of Mudavadi. The former Vice-President has a  considerable following and respect in the constituency.

Panyako’s DAP-K party is  in total turmoil. The party is going through a tough patch owing to the bitter internal feud pitting Party Leader Eugene Wamalwa and his more popular deputy George Natembeya who do not meet eye-to-eye, with each of them going to Malava separately to campaign for Panyako, a matter that has left the outspoken candidate seriously exposed.

With barely a week remaining, the Malava by-election remains for Ndakwa to lose.