Kimilili MP and Bungoma gubernatorial hopeful Didmus Barasa has taken aim at Malava parliamentary aspirant Seth Panyako after the latter was seen visibly emotional at a polling station on Thursday as the by-election commenced.
Barasa shared footage of Panyako on his X account, using the moment to suggest that his rival, David Ndakwa of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), was gaining an early advantage. “Seth Panyako wails uncontrollably at a polling station as Ndakwa takes an early lead. Malava Constituency nikumoto,” Barasa wrote.
Panyako, who was voting at St Joseph’s Lunyu Primary School, became emotional while recounting a distressing experience involving his driver the previous night. He explained that he had been warned about a potential police raid on their hotel, which ultimately did not take place. Repeated reports to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) went unaddressed, heightening his anxiety.
“I received information that police were planning to raid our hotel, though they never showed up. Around 8:30, I was notified that Stanley Luvondo had arrived and wanted to see me. His vehicle had covered number plates, which raised concerns for my team. His group has been distributing bribes, and despite repeated reports to the IEBC, no action was taken,” Panyako said.
The Malava by-election, triggered by the death of former MP Malulu Injendi earlier this year, involves nine candidates competing for the seat. The constituency has over 94,000 registered voters and 198 polling stations.
