How Taciturn David Ndakwa Ran George Natembeya Out of Town in Western Kenya

Until November 27, 2025, David Athman Ndakwa was not a name known to many beyond the administrative frontiers of Kakamega county.

However, six months since the day of the by-election that catapulted him to Kenya’s National Assembly, Malava Member of Parliament (MP) goes into history as the man who stopped Trans-Nzoia Governor George Natembeya in his tracks as he attempted to proclaim himself as the kingpin of the Mulembe Nation and to denigrate the experienced political leadership that stepped on the scene long before him.

Prior to the Malava by-election, Natembeya marketed himself as the next most important political product from the Luhyia community and demeaned Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula as products that had long lived past their sell-by date.

Right from the week that area MP Malulu Injendi passed away on February 17, 2025, Natembeya who is the Deputy Party Leader of the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) headed by former Saboti MP Eugene Ludovick Wamalwa criss-crossed the constituency campaigning for his party’s candidate, Seth Ambusini Panyako, during which forays he tore into Mudavadi and Wetang’ula as he declared himself the political supremo of the region.

To his disadvantage, Mudavadi, Wetang’ula and Ndakwa completely ignored his abrasive brand of politics and never responded to his provocative outbursts or even mentioned him by name during their campaigns in the area.

In fact, Ndakwa repeatedly stated on the campaign trail that at no time would he resort to insults and divisive politics as exhibited by Natembeya and his team comprising of Eugene, Kakamega senator Dr Boni Khalwale, his predecessor Cleophas Malalah, former Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi , Dr. Brian Lishenga and Mumias East MP Peter Salasya.

When election day came, it was Ndakwa of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) who carried the day and silenced the outspoken Natembeya to the surprise of one and all.

Today, Natembeya is in a quandary. He is less visible and less talkative in public.

On a day when Ndakwa was accompanying Mudavadi to visit (Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) secretary-general Francis Atwoli, Natembeya was last spotted on Wednesday in a photo posted on social media by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna after a private meeting chaired by the beleaguered secretary-general of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

A week earlier, Natembeya was noticeably absent at the Kakamega Law Courts where fellow Western Kenya Opposition politicians gathered to hear the ruling of a petition challenging Ndakwa’s election.

The petition was filed by two of Panyako’s supporters.

Ndakwa’s victory in the Malava by-election has since pushed the Trans-Nzoia Governor to the back burner of Western Kenya politics, far away from the Mudavadi and Wetang’ula he has been fighting for the last three years, Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka and the new kids on the block Sifuna, Vihiga senator Godfrey Osotsi and Saboti MP Caleb Amisi.

Until the last November 27 by-election, Ndakwa was a little known Member of County Assembly (MCA) for Kabras West in Malava constituency of Kakamega County where he was Leader of Minority.

Ndakwa was born in 1973. He sat his Certificate of Primary Education in 1987 at Kalenda Primary School and later joined Samitsi Secondary School for his Certificate of Secondary Education in 1991.

He holds a Degree in Information Science from Moi University and a Diploma in Information Studies from the University of Nairobi. He previously worked as Managing Director of Pavement Publishers (2017-2000).

Ahead of the Malava by-election, Natembeya had proclaimed himself as the unrivalled Luhyia political supremo whose time to lead the second most populous community in Kenya had arrived.

However, Natembeya’s political fairytale has hit a cul-de-sac. He is just one of the many ever lamentfing leaders from the Mulembe Nation.

Natembeya is presently concerned with defending his gubernatorial seat which is under serious threat from former Kiminini MP Dr. Chris Wamalwa who recently decamped from Ford Kenya to UDA.

For the three years he has served as Governor, Natembeya has spared no time to repeatedly throw barbs at Mudavadi and Wetang’ula who he blames for everything that has gone wrong in Western Kenya, ranging from their age to service service delivery and alleged aloofness.

Natembeya claimed that the long time Mudavadi and Wetang’ula have been in the public arena has not in any way yielded anything for the Luhyia community.

While Mudavadi and Wetang’ula have to a large extent chosen to ignore Natembeya’s brickbats by not responding to his incessant criticisms, Natembeya is quickly fading away from media headlines political relevance and both at national and regional levels.