Seth Panyako, the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) candidate in the highly contentious Malava parliamentary by-election, was arrested on Thursday, November 27, 2025. His party confirmed he was being held at Malava Police Station. The arrest occurred just hours after Panyako publicly claimed he had survived an assassination attempt at his hotel on the eve of the election.

The detention has intensified an already volatile political atmosphere in the Kakamega County constituency, with opposition figures accusing the government of using state machinery to intimidate voters and political opponents. As of Thursday evening, East Africa Time, the National Police Service had not issued a formal statement clarifying the specific reasons or charges for Panyako's arrest. Reports from several media outlets indicated Panyako was apprehended when he went to the police station to report the alleged attack on his life and property.

Allegations of Attack and Intimidation

Speaking to the media earlier on Thursday after casting his vote, an emotional Panyako alleged that “government machinery, together with criminals” attacked his hotel at Kaburengu junction on Wednesday night. He claimed the primary goal of the raid was to assassinate him and his wife. Panyako asserted the attack was motivated by internal polling data that purportedly showed him with a significant lead over his main rival, David Ndakwa of the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party. He stated that his driver and other staff members were seriously injured in the assault, with his driver reportedly hospitalized at Webuye Hospital.

These claims were echoed by DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa, who condemned the arrest and the preceding violence. Wamalwa accused the police of complicity and called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to disqualify the UDA candidate, David Ndakwa, for his alleged connection to the violence. Further reports indicated that a vehicle belonging to Wamalwa's convoy was torched by a mob on election day.

A Tense Electoral Environment

The Malava by-election, held to fill a seat left vacant after the death of the previous MP, has been characterized by intense political rivalry, drawing in national figures from both the government and the opposition. In the days leading up to the vote, Panyako and his allies, including Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale—who broke ranks with his UDA party to support Panyako—had repeatedly warned of a plot to rig the election and intimidate their supporters. Khalwale himself claimed on Wednesday, November 26, that there was a plan to arrest him and that his official security detail had been withdrawn without explanation.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen confirmed the withdrawal of security for some VIPs, including Khalwale and Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, but stated the decision was based on National Police Service reports of misconduct by the officers involved and was intended to prevent crises. UDA's David Ndakwa has countered the opposition's narrative, accusing Panyako's camp of intimidating voters in their strongholds and perpetrating violence. The IEBC, through its chairperson Erastus Ethekon, had acknowledged being aware of bribery allegations but urged candidates to file formal complaints to enable official investigations.

Political Background and Context

Seth Panyako, who is also the long-serving Secretary-General of the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN), has a history of confrontational politics. A former UDA member who contested the same seat unsuccessfully in 2022, Panyako has since become a fierce critic of President William Ruto's administration after falling out with the party. His campaign in the by-election, under the opposition-allied DAP-K, has been framed as a significant political test for both the government and the opposition in the Western Kenya region. The events surrounding his arrest have cast a spotlight on the state of democratic processes and political freedoms in Kenya. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REQUIRED regarding the official charges against Mr. Panyako.