Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi is staring at a defining political test as the Malava by-election shapes into a high-stakes contest, widely viewed as a referendum on his grip over Western Kenya politics.
The race to fill the seat left vacant following the death of MP Malulu Injendi has turned into a battleground, with Mudavadi fronting the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) as he seeks to prove his relevance within President William Ruto’s 2027 re-election machine.
A victory would not only affirm Mudavadi’s stature as the President’s chief ally in Western but also secure his space in a crowded Kenya Kwanza coalition where Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Democratic Congress Party (DCP) and Eugene Wamalwa’s DAP-K are flexing muscles. On the other hand, defeat would raise questions about his political worth following the collapse of his ANC into UDA.
“The Malava contest is about whether UDA can stamp authority in Western,” noted journalist Alexander Chagema. “Mudavadi must lead the charge to secure victory.”
Yet challenges abound. Mudavadi has had to juggle grassroots campaigns with official duties, including a recent trip to Japan for Ticad 9. Locally, he faces lukewarm support, with Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale distancing himself from the party’s push, accusing UDA of failing to deliver on promises while still “salivating” for the Malava seat.
Adding to the tension are accusations of bias in UDA primaries, with Kakamega Deputy Governor Ayub Savula alleging favoritism by party bigwigs.
Still, Mudavadi has doubled down on the incumbency card, urging residents to rally behind the ruling party for “faster development.” He argues that Malava stands to gain more by aligning with government rather than “small parties without structures.”
But with DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua cutting short his US trip to lead campaigns and DAP-K fielding Seth Panyako, the battle promises to be intense.
For Mudavadi, the Malava outcome will either reinforce his political stock in Kenya Kwanza or expose cracks in his influence making the by-election a true test of his future relevance.
