KAKAMEGA, Kenya, Nov 28 – United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate David Ndakwa has been declared the winner of the Malava parliamentary by-election, following a hard-fought and closely contested vote held on Thursday.
Ndakwa secured 21,564 votes, narrowly defeating his main challenger Seth Panyako of the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K), who garnered 20,210 votes.
The seat had fallen vacant after the death of the former MP, setting the stage for a by-election that attracted intense political interest.
The contest was largely viewed as a litmus test of party strength and candidate appeal in the run-up to the 2027 general elections.
The election cycle was marked by heightened tensions, with Panyako and DAP-K accusing state-backed forces and ruling-party loyalists of widespread electoral malpractice.
In the days leading up to the vote, Panyako raised serious allegations of voter bribery, intimidation, and the manufacture of pre-marked ballot papers allegedly intended to favour UDA.
Speaking on the eve of the vote, Panyako also claimed there was an assassination attempt on his life and family — alleging that unknown assailants, allegedly working with police, raided a hotel where he was staying.
On his part, David Ndakwa defended his campaign, saying he had focused on “issue-driven” outreach across all wards of the constituency. He publicly appealed to his supporters to remain peaceful and let voters express their will without intimidation.
Despite a night of unrest and violent clashes between rival supporters that resulted in injuries and property destruction in parts of the constituency, polling day began relatively calmly.
By mid-morning, some polling stations reported smooth biometric voter identification using the KIMS system, and officials said voting proceeded without major logistical issues.
The returning officer confirmed that all 198 polling stations received election materials and opened as scheduled, and that security was deployed across the constituency to ensure order.
With this victory, the ruling party strengthens its hold over Malava — a seat that will contribute to its parliamentary numbers ahead of the 2027 general elections.
David Ndakwa becomes the next MP for the constituency, assuming the seat left vacant earlier this year.
However, the narrow margin of victory — just 1,354 votes — alongside serious allegations of malpractice and violence, suggest the contest will leave lingering tensions and could fuel grievances among supporters of the opposition.
For now, local and national political watchers say the result underscores the complex balance between party loyalty and candidate charisma in Kenya’s volatile by-election landscape.
