MALAVA, Kenya – Tension gripped the Malava Constituency on Thursday after a vehicle belonging to Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa was set ablaze by unidentified attackers in Manyonje, Butali Ward, amid heightened unrest in the by-election.
A widely circulated video seen by Y News shows the burnt vehicle abandoned in the middle of a village road, moments after it was torched. The incident has deepened concerns over security and alleged interference in the hotly contested poll.
The Malava by-election has been fraught with drama, particularly involving DAP-K’s candidate, Seth Panyako, who broke down in tears earlier in the day before being arrested.
In a statement posted on X, DAP-K accused security agencies of enabling “coordinated violence” targeting its candidate and supporters.
“Our candidate, Seth Panyako, has been arrested and is currently being held at Malava Police Station. This, even after goons under police supervision terrorised him the whole night, injured our agents, destroyed property, and now they want to intimidate him. We will not allow!” the party said.
Our Candidate Seth Panyako has been arrested and is currently being held at Malava Police Station. This even after goons under police supervision terrorised him the whole night, injured our agents, destroyed property and now they want to intimidate him. We will not allow!
DAP-K claimed Panyako and his campaign team endured a night of harassment by unidentified assailants who allegedly injured party agents and vandalised property under the watch of police officers.
Panyako was arrested shortly after casting his vote at St Joseph’s Lunyu Primary School, where he became visibly emotional as he narrated events from the previous night.
The candidate said he had received information that police planned to raid his hotel, heightening his anxiety.
He said he reported the matter multiple times to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), claiming the commission had failed to act.
“I received information that police were planning to raid our hotel, though they never showed up. At around 8:30pm, Stanley Luvondo arrived wanting to see me. He had covered his number plates with black seal tape. His group has been moving around issuing bribes, and despite repeatedly reporting the matter to IEBC, no action has been taken,” Panyako said.
The IEBC and police had not issued statements on the allegations by the time of publication.
The by-election has attracted national attention following a series of confrontations, claims of bribery, and accusations of state-backed intimidation. Security remains tight across Malava as voting continues.
