Nairobi – Seth Panyako, the candidate for the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K), has formally rejected the outcome of the Malava parliamentary by-election. He alleges that the final vote count was manipulated, preventing what he believes was a clear victory based on support from local constituents.

Panyako’s statement followed the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC)‘s declaration of David Ndakwa of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) as the newly elected Member of Parliament for Malava. The Star reports Ndakwa secured the win with 19,294 votes, while Panyako garnered 16,986 votes.

“I have not lost this election and thus it cannot determine my political future,” Panyako stated, signaling his intention to pursue further action and perhaps contest the results.He offered no specific evidence of manipulation at this time.

As of this reporting, the IEBC, Kenyan security agencies, and the winning UDA camp have not issued official responses to Panyako’s claims.

Background: The Malava By-election

The Malava parliamentary by-election was necessitated by the death of MP Patrick Kimani on August 23, 2023. Nation Africa reported Kimani passed away while undergoing treatment at a Nairobi hospital.

The contest drew significant attention as a test of strength between the ruling UDA coalition and the opposition DAP-K, a member of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition. The by-election took place on November 30, 2023, with voter turnout reported to be moderate.

Potential Next Steps and Legal Challenges

should Panyako formally contest the results, he would likely file a petition with the High Court of Kenya.The grounds for such a petition could include allegations of voter irregularities, ballot stuffing, intimidation of voters, or errors in the tallying process. Kenyan election law provides a specific timeframe for filing such petitions.

The IEBC would be required to respond to the petition,