Kakamega County Deputy Governor Ayub Savula backed Kakamega Minority Leader David Ndakwa in the Malava UDA nominations in a bid to defeat Oparanya’s preferred choice, Leonard Shimaka, who was also vying for the same ticket.

The Deputy Governor, despite holding a senior position in the Democratic Action Party (DAP-K), was spotted campaigning for the UDA candidate David Ndakwa in order to “teach” Cooperative Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya, who, in recent times has been at loggerheads with the county leadership.

According to Savula, Oparanya’s preferred choice was Leonard Shimaka. Savula, who was in Malava as the UDA primaries were taking place on Saturday, September 20, 2025, was seen urging Malava residents to vote for Ndakwa so that Oparanya’s candidate would fail.

He went a step further in his usual gimmicks, offering incentives to voters to support Ndakwa over Shimaka.

Savula, who has repeatedly urged the CS to concentrate on national issues and leave Kakamega politics alone, rallied UDA supporters who were participating in the voting exercise to back Ndakwa and make sure that he clinches the UDA ticket.

“Tupee watu glucose waende wapigie Ndakwa kura. Mimi Nina pesa kushinda Oparanya mbali sana. Oparanya ananishindia tu miaka. Ameleta candidate wake hapa anaitwa Shimaka, huyo tunaangusha leo, saa hii kura tunapatia Ndakwa.

“Mkitoka hapa tunapatia kila mtu kitu glucose na transport. Mkifika polling station mnasema Ndakwa, Ndakwa. Huyu candidate wa Oparanya lazima aanguke kura,” Savula said.

Ndakwa now becomes the official UDA Malava by-election flagbearer and is set to face DAP-K candidate Seth Panyako, who was issued a direct ticket by his party. He will also battle Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) candidate Edgar Busiega.

This move by Savula to go a notch higher to campaign for the UDA candidate despite being the DAP-K deputy party leader is due to the internal county politics where Oparanya’s feud with the governor, Fernandez Barasa, is escalating day by day.