DAP–K candidate Seth Panyako walked into St Joseph Lunyu Primary School to cast his vote Thursday morning carrying more than just political hopes he carried the weight of a night he says nearly cost him his life.
Visibly shaken and at one point breaking down in tears, Panyako narrated what he described as a chilling attack on his hotel room hours before voters headed to the polls. According to him, the violence was no random scare tactic.
“Government-linked attackers stormed the hotel. They wanted me and my wife dead,” he said, claiming that his rising popularity in pre-election surveys had made him a marked man.
Panyako’s driver, who was injured during the incident, is still receiving treatment for stab wounds at Webuye Hospital. The candidate insists the assailants knew exactly where to find him, alleging they went straight to the room where he was expected to be sleeping a detail he believes proves intent.
His claims have added a dramatic twist to an already heated contest in Malava, where political hostilities have intensified in the final stretch of the by-election.
On Wednesday night, a separate confrontation in the constituency saw a man attacked by residents who accused him of attempting to bribe voters. Authorities have not confirmed which candidate he was working for, but the incident has amplified fears about the integrity and safety of the electoral process.
DAP–K party leader Eugene Wamalwa reacted sharply to the violence, accusing state agencies of colluding with criminal elements to intimidate candidates and distort the vote.
“Police are being misused, working hand-in-hand with goons,” he charged, calling for the immediate disqualification of the UDA candidate in the race.
Wamalwa further claimed that a network of “State-sponsored actors” had orchestrated coordinated disruptions, alleging ballot interference and targeted attacks aimed at swaying the outcome.
“To those involved the goons, compromised officers and officials who violated their oath accountability is coming,” he warned.
Malava has become one of the most fiercely contested fronts in the ongoing by-elections, which have also reported tensions in Magarini and Mbeere North. The country is voting for six National Assembly seats in Magarini, Banissa, Mbeere North, Ugunja, Kasipul and Malava as well as one Senate seat in Baringo.
As voting continues, the spotlight remains firmly on Malava, where allegations of assassination plots, voter bribery and State interference have turned what should have been a routine by-election into a political powder keg.
