Trans-Nzoia governor George Natembeya has faulted President William Ruto’s aide Farouk Kibet for meddling in Malava byelections.

While campaigning for DAP-K’s candidate Seth Panyako in the constituency on Thursday, September 25, 2025, according to Natembeya, since the late former MP Malulu Njendi died, Kibet has been making multiple visits to the county, trying to persuade the voters to elect the United Democratic Alliance candidate.

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He further urged Malava locals to reject Kibet and any candidate who will be fronted by him, noting that they should not allow people from outside to influence them on who they should vote for in the upcoming mini polls.

Natembeya further stated that any leader who will be endorsed by government officials or intruders like Farouk Kibet should be rejected since if they are voted in, they will be answerable to their masters and not to the electorates.

“Kuna mwanamume mwingine baada ya Malulu kufa ameishi hapa kila siku anasomea sisi. Semeni Farouk tawe mtu yeyote ambaye atashikwa mkono na kiongozi yeyote kwamba anataka kuwa mjumbe wa Malava. Jua huyo jamaa ni project anaenda kufanyia watu wengine kazi. Si watu wa Malava. Hawa mama wa Western wamezaa wanaume kama sisi. Miskubali kupangwa na yeyote,” Natembeya stated.

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Malava by-election

This comes days after Seth Panyako was issued a direct nomination by DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa, stating that, according to opinion polls, he is the one who is leading with a double-digit lead in the race to succeed the late Malulu Injendi.

Wamalwa further urged their united opposition affiliate party, the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), to drop their candidate since, according to the opinion poll, their candidate was trailing at number 7 after the UDA candidates. Urging them to support DAP and avoid a split of votes.

With the Malava by-elections now entering top gear, Kakamega deputy governor Ayub Savula recently came out, despite being one of the deputy party leader of DAPK, to endorse UDA’s aspirant David Ndakwa and even went a step further to offer incentives to supporters from the ruling party who were partaking in the primaries to vote for Ndakwa.

Seth Panyako is now expected to face David Ndakwa, who dwarfed Malulu Injendi’s son, Ryan Injendi, during the UDA primaries held over the weekend.

The byelections are slated for November 2027, with most parties now finalising their primaries.