Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has set the political scene in Malava ablaze after openly opposing his party’s UDA candidate, David Ndakwa, in the upcoming by-election.
Instead, Khalwale is backing DAP-K’s Seth Panyako, citing what he calls a glaring injustice by President William Ruto’s administration.
Speaking on Tuesday, Khalwale claimed the decision is payback for the UDA leadership’s failure to grant the late Malava MP Malulu Injendi's son, Ryan Injendi, a ticket—despite similar family members of deceased politicians being accommodated elsewhere.
"Mr. President, when Malulu died, Baringo Senator Cheptumo also died, and Migori's Dalmas Otieno passed away too. For the two, you gave Cheptumo’s widow a Ministry and Dalmas’ wife a big state job, but for Malulu, you did not even remember the wife or son," Khalwale said.
He emphasised that the denial of the ticket to Ryan Malulu Injendi forced him to act independently:
"I thought you would allow him to serve as MP, but just as you denied Ryan that opportunity and brought an MCA, I have also declared that we will decide who we will vote for without interference from your office."
Khalwale further claimed that a UDA Cabinet Secretary attempted to meddle in the campaign, even insulting him for not supporting Ndakwa. He demanded clarity from the President on whether the CS acted on his instructions.
"We respect you, and if you want votes in 2027, there is no one else who will deliver them in Kakamega but me, Dr Boni Khalwale," he added.
Ryan Injendi, who lost the UDA ticket on September 21, blamed Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi for allegedly influencing the primary vote but acknowledged that UDA party leaders had not intervened. He questioned the PCS’s involvement in what he described as a local matter.
"Why wouldn't you have left the people of Malava to vote their own way?" Ryan quipped, though he congratulated David Ndakwa and urged him to keep the constituency aligned with the government.
Tags
Politics