Did Musalia Mudavadi fatally puncture ‘Tawe Movement’ after Malava mini-poll?

The conspicuous silence of front-lane adherents of the so-called Tawe Movement in Western Kenya after the last November 27 Malava by-election is deafening indeed.

Fire-spitting vocalists of the grouping have all of a sudden gone mute. So loud is their silence that it has now started to raise eyebrows.

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Two months since the mini-poll in which the United Opposition lost, the hitherto outspoken avowed critics of the national Government have gone missing from action.

It would seem the outcome of the by-election seriously deflated them. Little, if any, is being heard from Trans -Nzoia Governor George Natembeya who is the main architect of the Tawe Movement, Kakamega senator Dr. Boni Khalwale and his predecessor Cleophas Malalah.

During the campaigns, the trio had, together with former Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa, Mumias East MP Peter Salasya and former Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi and a host of others, pledged to “teach” the Government a lesson in the by-election.

That was not to be. Instead, it was their candidate, Seth Ambusini Panyako, the fiery secretary-general of the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) who was taught a lesson after he lost to immediate former Kabras West Member of County Assembly (MCA) David Ndakwa of the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) who emerged victorious to replace the late area Member of Parliament Moses Malulu Injendi who died on February 17 last year after a short illness.

Noticeably, out of the 17 parliamentary and civic by-elections held countrywide on November 27, DAP-K failed to register a single seat, in spite of the drama and gramophone politics vigorously injected into their campaigns.

To a large extent, Ndakwa’s victory was a huge vote of confidence in Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, whom Natembeya, Khalwale, Malalah and Eugene had repeatedly maligned, ridiculed and insulted on daily basis during the entire campaign period.

Ndakwa, just like his predecessor, was elected in 2022 on the ticket of the Amani National Congress (ANC) party, an outfit then led by Mudavadi who led the Kenya Kwanza/UDA campaigns in Malava strongly backed by Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka, his Kakamega counterpart Fernandes Barasa, President Ruto’s aide Farouk Kibet, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and Higher Education Principal Secretary Dr. Beatrice Inyangala.

Natembeya is the DAP-K Deputy Party Leader with former Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa as his boss. In Malava, Natembeya painted himself as the face of the party and the most outstanding challenger to President William Ruto and liquidator of Mudavadi and Wetang’ula and their brand of politics in the Mulembe Nation .

Apart from Malava, DAP-K also fielded an MCA contestant in Kisa East of Khwisero constituency in Kakamega county.

The party lost in both races, with the Kisa East seat being taken by a candidate of the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) of impeached former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Since losing in the two contests, Natembeya, Khalwale and Malalah have suddenly taken an unusually low profile.

It took persistent social media claims of potential defection for Malalah to pop up in Malindi at the Kenyan coast where he refuted the allegations and pledged his continued support for DCP and loyalty to Gachagua.

After keeping out the limelight for two months, Natembeya appeared before a Senate committee on Thursday to respond to piercing audit queries in his county.

He had last been seen at a sports function in Trans-Nzoia a day after the burial of former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo – which he did not attend -;at his Lumakanda home on December 30 at which Khalwale reported that the Governor had fractured his foot after a slip-up.

While it is possible Natembeya, Khalwale and Malalah are eating humble pie after the thorough by-election whipping, questions abound regarding their capability and capacity to stage a meaningful political challenge.

Of greater interest is Natembeya following his management of and posture during the Malava and Kisa East by-elections in addition to the publicised dispute between him and Wamalwa over the DAP-K leadership.

With their heads currently buried in the sand, the quartet of Natembeya, Khalwale, Malalah and Wamalwa have left all the spaces in the Western region for the victorious Mudavadi and Wetang’ula of Kenya Kwanza to bask in all the glory and fame with uncontested bragging rights.

The confident duo is on a roll. Wetangula has held two press conferences in as many weeks, the latest being last Wednesday, at which he addressed himself to issues relating to the economic development of the Western region and the volatile politics of the area.

Similarly, Mudavadi has since December held four one-on-one media interviews – the latest being on Friday – at which he had espoused Government policies, national unity, economy of the Mulembe Nation, infrastructure, political tolerance and dismissed the Tawe Movement as mere hot air.

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