NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 26 — Senate Majority Whip Boni Khalwale has dared President William Ruto to brace for a political showdown, declaring himself and former trade unionist Seth Panyako the political supremos in Kakamega county.
The fiery Kakamega Senator, who is now facing disciplinary action from the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) for backing a rival candidate in the Malava parliamentary by-election, accused senior government operatives of using intimidation and state machinery to impose loyalty.
“Whether we vote for the person the president wants or the person we want, it is us whom you will need votes from in 2027 when things are going to be thick,” Khalwale said during a rally in Malava on Saturday.
“Those telling you to prefer one candidate over another are misleading you. You will need all of us in 2027 to succeed.”
Khalwale has defied his own party by endorsing Democratic Action Party–Kenya (DAP–K) candidate Seth Panyako over UDA’s David Ndakwa, a move that has deepened rifts within the ruling coalition and sparked outrage among Ruto’s allies.
On October 14, UDA’s Disciplinary Committee issued Khalwale with a formal notice demanding that he explain within fourteen days why action should not be taken against him for “gross misconduct” and “disloyalty.”
Committee Chairperson Charles Njenga said the senator’s open support for a rival candidate amounts to promoting another party’s interests, in violation of the UDA Constitution and Code of Conduct.
“Your support for the said opposing candidate has been open, vocal, conspicuous, and substantial,” Njenga said, warning that Khalwale’s conduct could cost him his position as Senate Majority Whip.
Fallot out after primaries
But Khalwale has remained defiant, insisting that his decision is a matter of principle — not betrayal.
He maintains that his original choice was Ryan Injendi, son of the late Malulu Injendi, who failed to secure the UDA ticket, forcing him to rally behind Panyako instead.
“We don’t want development because of a by-election. We need development because of the votes we gave President William Ruto in 2022,” he said, asserting that his loyalty lies with the people of Kakamega, not political elites.
The Malava by-election, scheduled for November 27, 2025, has become a high-stakes battle for political supremacy in Western Kenya, with both UDA and the opposition testing their grassroots muscle ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Khalwale, who has already declared interest in the Kakamega governorship, has also hinted that he will not use UDA as his political vehicle in 2027, accusing the party of abandoning him for Governor Fernandes Barasa.
His defiance, combined with growing internal dissent within Kenya Kwanza, underscores the emerging power struggle between loyalty to the party and political independence — a contest that could redefine Western Kenya’s political map ahead of 2027.