Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Secretary-General Seth Panyako says he will remain in the race for the Malava Parliamentary seat. This comes after a fellow aspirant challenged his eligibility.
Caleb Burudi, another candidate, wrote to the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K), asking them to disqualify Panyako. Burudi claims Panyako did not resign from the Local Authorities Provident Fund (LAPFUND) within the required time. Public officers must step down before contesting elections.
Burudi, through Okubasu & Munene Advocates, says Panyako broke the Elections Act. The law requires public officers to leave their posts within seven days of a parliamentary seat being declared vacant. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) gazetted the Malava seat as vacant on August 8, 2025. Burudi notes Panyako attended LAPFUND events between August 11 and 15 and even a board workshop in Naivasha in September.
Panyako rejects the claims. He says LAPFUND is not a state corporation and does not receive government money. “I nominated myself to represent workers. I was not appointed by the government,” he said. He added that his board membership is not a public office.
He also dismissed Burudi’s letter as politically motivated. “Why write to DAP-K and then share the letter with the media? It is just fear of Panyako,” he said.
Panyako insists he will stay in the race unless a court orders otherwise. “If anyone wants to remove me from the ballot, they must bring a court order. My application has not been challenged in court,” he said.
The Malava seat contest is expected to be closely watched as legal and party-level debates continue.
