NAIROBI, Kenya — Musalia Mudavadi is stepping out of the shadows—and back into the ring.
The Prime Cabinet Secretary and former ANC boss is now the face of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA)’s people-first campaign in the looming Malava Constituency by-election.
In a spirited rallying call to the region’s deeply rooted Kabras community, Mudavadi told a packed consultative forum of over 100 clan elders: “Until you elect your new Member of Parliament, I stand as your Patron in Malava.”
It’s not just symbolic. With the late MP Malulu Injendi’s development agenda hanging in the balance, Mudavadi is framing this race as a continuity project—with a modern twist.
His message was crystal clear: “Malava doesn’t need a circus. We need a leader with clarity, consistency, and integrity.”
To underscore that vision, Mudavadi is planning stakeholder forums that will bring together youth, women, religious leaders, farmers, scholars, and business owners. The goal? Co-create a vision rooted in the day-to-day realities of Malava’s people.
But this campaign isn’t just about political realignment. It’s about resetting expectations. “Do not let temporary excitement blind you,” Mudavadi warned, in a moment that earned him laughter and applause. “If you sell your father’s land to buy a trumpet, where will you stand to blow it?”
Yet for all his humor, the Prime CS was dead serious about one thing: clan politics must not hijack the ballot.
While acknowledging the cultural importance of Kabras sub-clans, he urged residents to transcend tribal loyalties and vote on merit. “Respect our heritage—but don’t weaponize it. Let’s not use clans to promote division, drama, or corruption,” he cautioned, switching to Swahili for emphasis.
“Sasa muache kujificha nyuma ya clans kwa sababu hatutaki mchague kiongozi ambaye atapiganisha watu ama hata kanisa na jamii na kuleta sarakasi…”
He didn’t stop there. In a direct appeal to the elders, Mudavadi laid out the stakes. The next MP, he said, must align with President Ruto’s development blueprint—and be someone the national government can work with seamlessly. “Let’s not gamble with Malava’s future. Tell your people the kind of leader they deserve. I will walk with you,” he pledged.
As for development priorities, the clan leaders came prepared. In a memorandum handed to Mudavadi, they listed stalled and ongoing projects in need of urgent attention—like the Malava-Ikoli and Malava-Samitsi roads, water projects in Namanja and Sikhuyu, and key education institutions including Shamberere National Polytechnic and the Malava Medical Training College.
They also pushed for the full operationalization of Kabras West Sub-County and called for gazettement of newly created administrative units in East and West Kabras.
Mudavadi promised action. Fast. He’s already written to Roads CS Kipchumba Murkomen and is actively engaging the Interior Ministry to bring services closer to Malava residents.
And if there was any doubt that this isn’t just another by-election for Mudavadi, he reminded the audience that Malava once taught him a political lesson he never forgot: stand firm. “Since then, I’ve walked the path of honesty and discipline. I don’t make empty promises. As you held my hand before, I promise to stand with you now,” he said.
UDA’s national vice chair Kelvin Lunani, MPs Fred Ikana (Shinyalu) and Beatrice Adagala (Vihiga), and Western Regional Commissioner Irungu Macharia were all in attendance—just to name a few. It was a full-court press, signaling that UDA is leaving nothing to chance.
So, as the by-election race heats up, one thing is clear: Mudavadi isn’t just backing a candidate. He’s building a movement—one clan, one vote, and one voice at a time.
