The Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K) Deputy Party Leader, Ayub Savula, has explained his bizarre decision to support a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate in the forthcoming Member of Parliament (MP) by-election in Malava Constituency.

Speaking on a local radio station on Monday, November 17, 2025, the Kakamega County Deputy Governor said he has chosen to drum up support for UDA’s David Ndakwa in the forthcoming November 27, 2025, election over Seth Panyako of DAP-K because of the working agreement between Kakamega County government and the national government.

Reasons behind

He added that his support for Ndakwa is because he does not want to go against the wish of his boss, Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa. Savula said the decision to rally behind David Ndakwa is a sign of loyalty to Barasa.

”I am supporting the UDA candidate. I am the DAP Deputy Party leader, but the office I hold as the Deputy Governor of Kakamega, the national government and the county government are bound to work together. We signed a working agreement between DAP and ODM for the Kakamega gubernatorial election, in which we split the office 50-50,” he said.

The DAP-K deputy party leader added that Kakamega County would split if he chose to support Seth Panyako in the forthcoming mini polls in Malava. ”So I’m bound to follow the boss, the governor, and he is supporting the UDA candidate, so if I support the DAP candidate, we split the county,” he added.

Savula to be ousted

Savula’s explanation comes amid DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa hinting that the party will settle on Mumias East Member of Parliament (MP) Peter Salasya to take over as Deputy Party Leader.

While speaking during an interview on Friday, November 14, 2025, Wamalwa said that since Ayub Savula, who is one of the deputy party leaders, has decided to join the other side, there can be no vacuum, and Peter Salasya has the capacity to fill that position.

“Tulikuwa tume kubaliana, my second deputy party leader a codinate by-election campaigns za Kakamega lakini juzi akaponyoka, bado tuna viongozi ambao watachukuwa nafasi yake, tuko na PK salasya who is qualified to replace Ayub Savula as the second party leader,” Wamalwa said