Former Kakamega Senator and Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) Deputy Leader Cleophas Malala has announced that he will contest the region’s gubernatorial race in the upcoming 2027 elections.

Speaking at Kisa East, Malava constituency, on Saturday, August 9, 2025, Malala, who was trounced by Orange Democratic Movement’s Fernandes Barasa, said that the 2022 setback had not dampened his ambition to serve the county as governor.

Coming back

“You know we have the elections that are coming. I was here and asked for your votes in 2022. I am thankful for the votes you gave me. Though the votes did not suffice, I still have the energy,” the DCP deputy party leader stated.

“I have said that in 2027, I will come back here and seek to be your governor. I am confident this time you will look at me with special consideration too,” he beseeched.

“We want to bring transformative leadership here. We are past the kind of leadership where people seek elective posts and disappear after getting voted in,” he stated.

Malala who ran alongside Beatrice Inyangala in the last election, received 159,508 votes in comparison to Barasa’s 192,929 votes.

His pronouncement comes a week after Senator Boni Khalwale also declared interest in the county’s third governor.

The veteran politician made the political declaration on Sunday, August 3, 2025, as he vowed to humiliate the incumbent Fernandes Barasa in the showdown.

He opined that the incumbent Fernandes Barasa was handed the seat by his predecessor, Wycliffe Oparanya, and that the governor could not win against him in a free and fair election.

“Barasa boasts to us because he was gifted this seat by Oparanya. I will not tire of bringing resources to our county and holding the governor accountable,” Khalwale said.

Best in the country

“My time for becoming the governor is 2027, and I want to be the best governor in the Republic of Kenya.”

Khalwale, a fierce critic of Barasa, had earlier announced that he would do whatever it takes to unseat the governor, even if it means ditching his UDA Party.

“Nikitegemea hiyo UDA ni Chama ya rais, mlimsikia akisema hadharani alisema ya kwamba yeye na Barasa ni chanda na pete”

“If I depend on UDA, you know it is the president’s party; you heard him publicly stating that he and Barasa are bosom friends,” he added.