By Waren Christopher
The Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) has called for the immediate disqualification of UDA candidate David Ndakwa from the Malava parliamentary by-election, over allegations of voter bribery and state-sanctioned violence.
DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa accused supporters of a UDA allied individual Stanley Livondo of attacking people who were preparing to vote.
He further claimed that the police were being used as "a tool of violence" and were working "in cahoots with known goons” to “force Ndakwa’s victory” against DAP-K candidate, Seth Panyako, who was reportedly attacked by “goons being supported by police officers.”
"Officers from Matete police station were the ones who broke the gate to access Panyako,” said Wamalwa.
Seth Panyako, the party candidate, also provided a detailed account of the incident. He alleged that after he publicly dismissed warnings of a police raid on his hotel, Livondo arrived and summoned him outside.
"When they told him to come in, he refused," Panyako said, noting that Livondo's vehicles had doctored license plates. "They have been moving around with numberless vehicles, bribing people, threatening people, causing violence. I've reported to IEBC so many times. Nothing has happened."
Wamalwa’s vehicle was torched in Butali, while Trans Nzoia governor George Natembeya was allegedly arrested on his way to Malava. His whereabouts were still unknown by press time.
On the other hand, tensions flared at the Siakago Social Hall polling station, in Mbeere North when DP leader Justin Muturi led the ejection of Thuku Kiroga, a representative of Leonard Wamuthende who is vying for the Mbeere North parliamentary seat, for wearing a yellow outfit in relation to the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.
"We have told him you can't come into the polling area donning party colors," Muturi said, defending his actions. "Even if he is an authorized agent, he must come wearing another kind of clothes."
Muturi and his supporters proceeded to forcibly eject the UDA agent from the polling station. He also raised allegations that individuals in party colours were bribing voters to "divert the will of the people," though these claims have not been independently verified.
The Siakago Social Hall is a focal point of today's election, as it is the home polling station for UDA candidate Leonardo Muthende.
In Kasipul, Homa Bay Town Member of Parliament Peter Kaluma and his bodyguard were injured in a violent attack. The incident has sparked a major security alert after the bodyguard’s official firearm was reported missing following the assault. Over 10 people have since been arested.
According to initial reports, the attack occurred as the MP was visiting the Agoro Sare Primary School polling station, as the chief agent for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party.
The MP has accused Philip Aroko, an independent candidate in the MP race as the person behind the attack.
“They know they have lost and are trying to intimidate people to not come out and vote,” he said.