Only two weeks since Malava MP Moses Malulu Injendi was buried, the race to succeed him has started in earnest. 

Already, names of 23 potential candidates have cropped up long before the National Assembly declares the seat vacant and the electoral agency, which is yet to be constituted, sets the voting date. 

Debate on Malulu’s replacement was triggered four days before his burial by Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo during a requiem for the late legislator at St. Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Church in Nairobi’s South C. 

While concluding his speech, Odhiambo stated: “You, the people of Malava, let me ask you: this man lying here spent his money to win this seat. He had not finished his term when he died. To avoid a lot of campaigns and wastage of money, why can’t you just allow the family to give you his replacement as MP?” 

Remarks by the Gem MP have since elicited a fierce controversy and canvassing in the populous constituency regarding the succession of the third-term late lawmaker. 

His sentiments were echoed by the vocal secretary-general of the Central Organisation of Trade Unions Francis Atwoli on March 4 at the late MP’s homestead on the day of his burial. 

Though the departed legislator’s family has yet to publicly pronounce itself on the matter, it is expected that his eldest son,  Ryan Injendi, an employee of the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) and believed to be the preferred choice of President William Ruto and his courtiers, will in due course be floating his candidature to succeed his father. 

Ryan a side, also understood to be angling to make ago at the vacant seat are former Kakamega Deputy Governor Prof. Philip Museveni Kutima, the Secretary-General of the Kenya National Union of  Nurses (Knun) Seth Panyako, lawyer Edgar Busiega Mwanga, former Kenya School of Government (KSG) lecturer and a project planning and management consultant Caleb Sunguti. 

Senior Assistant Inspector-General of Police Nelson Shilunji Taliti, former Malava Boys’ High School Principal Daniel Mwachi, activist Caleb Burudi, Dr. Enock Andanje, trade unionist and security expert Enock Makanga, Benjamin Nalwa, Jonah Barasa, lawyer Lewis Shitanda and retired educationist Mwalimu Kangwana has also been named as interested for the seat. 

Others are Toli Mukoyani, former Nominated Kakamega Member of County Assembly Lazarus Lucheveleli, one Lilian Sospeter, Samuel Tsimbwela, Michael Murambi Angatia,  Wanangwe Kulecho, Simon Waiti,, former journalist George Munji and one Samuel Liguru. 

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has yet to declare the by-election date alongside two others and a host of those for county assemblies across the country as it is not fully constituted. 

IEBC reconstitution 

The panel to recruit new IEBC commissioners after the exit of the team chaired by the late Wafula Chebukati in January 2023 is currently in the process of interviewing potential fresh office-bearers. 

It is estimated that barring any incumbrances, the earliest the by-elections could be held is in the months of September/October. 

Going by the names that have already popped up since Malulu’s demise, the Malava by-election is boiling down to a generational tiff and clan supremacy as well as party choice. 

Peripherally, lawyer Busiega and Malulu’s son Ryan have emerged as the leading contenders in the impending race. 

The youthful duo, apart from being relatives and neighbours from the populous Basonje clan in Chemuche ward, have a considerable touch with the young voters, popularly identified as Gen-Zs. 

Whereas Ryan is believed to be the UDA candidate, his cousin Busiega- who is a product of the nationwide Gen-Z movement that rocked the country in June and July of last year – was in the ANC legal support staff during the 2022 election campaigns and has yet to declare his party of choice though word has it that the DAP-K top-notch leadership has since the death of the area MP been hankering to woo him into its fold. 

Also tossing meaningful influence are Shilunji, Sunguti and Shimaka from the Abashuu clan and Mwachi of the Batali clan. While Sunguti has already secured the clearance to run from the Roots Party headed by lawyer Prof. George Wajackoya, the rest have yet to indicate which parties they will be contesting on though most of them are understood to leaning towards DAP-K. 

Unsavoury altercations 

Outspoken Panyako has already released a poster with his photo in UDA colours, though it remains to be seen whether he will be cleared to contest considering the party’s interest in Malulu’s son and the intermittent unsavoury altercations between the KNUN boss and the party’s top brass. 

At the moment, the Democratic Party of Kenya (DAP-K) led by former Defence Minister Eugene Ludovick Wamalwa seems to be the most attractive outfit on the ground with the majority of the aspirants jostling to grab its nod to contest for the seat. 

Since the re-introduction of plural politics in Kenya in 1991, the Malava constituency has always frowned at parties headed by leaders from the former Nyanza Province, be it the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga with Ford Kenya in 1992 or his son Raila Odinga since 1997 to date. 

Upon the advent of multi-partyism, Malava defied the Opposition wave to vote for Joshua Mulanda Angatia, a former MP who had controversially lost the seat during the infamous Mlolongo (queue-voting) system in 1988. 

In 1997, Soita Shitanda floored Angatia to take the mantle. Jaramogi, the Ford Kenya Party Leader had by that time passed away and left its stewardship under the late Michael Kijana Wamalwa who was a presidential contender that year as was Raila Odinga on the banner of the National Development Party (NDP). 

Shitanda held the seat until 2013 when he was replaced by Malulu on the ticket of National Democratic Party (NDP) and later shifted to Jubilee Party in 2017 and Amani National Congress (ANC) in 2022. 

The ANC party on which Malulu won the seat in the last General -Election has since wound up and joined President William Ruto’s UDA and will therefore not be featuring in the by-election. 

The absence of an ANC candidate will present a very difficult test to the electorate who are always at ease with its former leader and now Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi. In 2013, the constituency gave Mudavadi the highest number of votes in the whole country. In 2022, Kenya Kwanza registered the highest number of votes here in the entire Kakamega county.