Why did Seth Panyako cry uncontrollably at a polling station?
By Kenneth Mwenda, November 27, 2025Seth Panyako, the Democratic Action Party–Kenya (DAP–K) candidate in the Malava parliamentary by-election, broke down in tears while casting his ballot on Thursday, November 27, 2025.
The tears were from the fear and tension that have engulfed his campaign, including threats to his life, attacks on his hotel, and attempts to manipulate the election.
Speaking at a media briefing alongside DAP–K leader Eugene Wamalwa, Panyako gave a detailed account of what he described as a coordinated effort to intimidate him and his supporters.
“I went to social media and said the police are planning to raid our hotel… I thought it was just a joke,” Panyako said.
He added that he had received intelligence suggesting government machinery, working with criminals, planned to attack the Downhill Hotel, where he and his wife were staying.
Panyako claimed that the attack targeted the room he shares with his wife, as well as the hotel’s conference hall, which he intended to use as a personal tallying centre.
“The government machinery together with the criminals attacked my hotel,” he said. “The aim was clear – the President of the Republic of Kenya, through Faruok Kibet, Nabii Nabwera, Stanley Livondo and Rashid Echesa, had been instructed to come and assassinate me and my wife.”
According to Panyako, internal polling showed him leading by 75 per cent, while the UDA candidate David Ndakwa was at 24 per cent.
“The only option for the government candidate to win this election is to assassinate me. They have no other means,” he said.
Livondo encounter sparks fears
Panyako also described an encounter with businessman Stanley Livondo.
“I’ve never met Livondo in my life. I used to see him dishing money in choppers,” Panyako said. He claimed that Livondo refused to enter the hotel and had doctored his vehicle number plates.
Panyako said he had been warned by an IEBC officer.
“Salim told me there is nothing he can do because there are orders to have me eliminated so that I’m not on the ballot,” he said, insisting that threats came from both individuals and state actors.
Earlier, Eugene Wamalwa said that goons linked to Ndakwa had attacked the hotel.
“They have come here to attack very peaceful Luhyas who are preparing to vote in their next Member of Parliament to replace Malulu Injendi,” Wamalwa said. He accused police of working with criminal groups.
“The land cruiser of Matete Police Station with armed police officers were the ones who broke the gate to access Mweshimiwa. So Mweshimiwa had to escape on a motorbike. All his vehicles have been damaged. People have been injured,” Wamalwa said.
The rising tension in Malava mirrored similar concerns in other by-election areas. Chama Cha Kazi leader Moses Kuria also reported attacks on polling agents in Mbeere North, highlighting the volatile atmosphere surrounding by-elections across the country.