Rhyan Injendi, son of the late Malava MP Malulu Injendi, has publicly conceded defeat in the just-concluded UDA party primaries for the upcoming Malava parliamentary by-election—but not without raising serious concerns over alleged interference by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
Speaking over the weekend following the official announcement of the results, Rhyan expressed disappointment over what he described as undue influence from Mudavadi’s office, claiming that the process was manipulated to favor David Ndakwa, who emerged as the UDA nominee.
“I have not seen the President’s hand in these primaries. I haven’t seen Farouk Kibet’s hand. But it’s shocking that officials from the Prime Cabinet Secretary’s office came to Malava to fight a young man like me,” Rhyan said.
A Rift in Old Alliances
Rhyan evoked his family’s long-standing relationship with Mudavadi, noting that his late father stood by the Prime CS during the formation of the Kenya Kwanza alliance—an alliance that marked a major political shift dubbed the “Earthquake.”
“Mr. Prime Cabinet Secretary, my father was your friend. During the Earthquake, when others deserted you, my father stood by you. Why would you interfere in a race where the President had said the people should decide for themselves?” he asked.
Acceptance and Support for UDA
Despite his frustrations, Rhyan affirmed his loyalty to the UDA party and the Kenya Kwanza government, stating that he would support Ndakwa’s candidacy in the by-election for the sake of unity and progress.
“We’ve accepted the results, but the people of Malava have seen what happened, and they will not forget. I will give Mr. David Ndakwa the space to campaign and will continue to support the government,” he stated.
