The Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Secretary General, Seth Panyako, has officially ditched the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) and rejoined the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

In a statement shared on his social media platforms on Thursday, July 17, 2026, the outspoken trade unionist and politician confirmed his return to the ruling party, adding that he will contest the Malava parliamentary seat for a third time on a UDA ticket in the 2027 General Election.

Panyako also dismissed speculation that he is eyeing the Kakamega Senate seat, insisting that his political focus remains firmly on the Malava parliamentary race.

“I will be vying for the Member of Parliament, Malava Constituency, on the UDA Party ticket in the 2027 General Election. Wale wanasema mambo ya senator hyo ni Propaganda,” he stated.

Panyako’s UDA fallout

His return to UDA comes barely a year after he contested the 2025 Malava by-election on a DAP-K ticket following his fallout with the ruling party.

Panyako had previously served as UDA’s vice chairperson in the run-up to the 2022 general election but later resigned, accusing the party and the Kenya Kwanza administration of failing to fulfil the promises made to residents of the Western region.

Following his departure from UDA, he joined Eugene Wamalwa’s DAP-K party and unsuccessfully contested the Malava parliamentary by-election. He lost the race to UDA candidate David Ndakwa.

Since his parliamentary defeat, he has been heavily critical of the government, claiming that there have been attempts to lure him back by offering him a principal secretary position. He claimed that the government wanted him to take over the higher education principal secretary slot currently held by Beatrice Inyangala.

Court dismisses Panyako’s case

His announcement comes just days after the Kakamega High Court dismissed his petition challenging the victory of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate David Ndakwa. The court ruled that the grounds presented by Panyako were insufficient to overturn Ndakwa’s narrow victory in the 2025 by-election.

Panyako had initially indicated that he would not pursue any legal action following the election, despite claiming that the poll was marred by numerous irregularities that favoured the incumbent MP.

Panyako’s reaction to court verdict

However, after filing the petition—a move he says was influenced by the party leader—and subsequently losing the case, he publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with the court’s decision, citing his earlier reservations about taking the legal route.

The KNUN boss criticised the ruling, saying it had vindicated his initial reluctance to challenge the election results in court.

He maintained that, regardless of the outcome of future elections, he would never again seek the intervention of the judiciary in an electoral dispute. According to him, winning an election petition in Kenya is an extremely difficult undertaking.