Drama unfolded at a Kakamega hotel after hired goons invaded and disrupted a presser organized by the DAP-Kenya Malava aspirant, Caleb Burudi.

Burudi, who is the new entrant in the Malava by-election set to happen on 27 November 2025 on a Democratic Alliance Party of Kenya (DAP-Kenya) ticket led by Eugene Wamalwa, had begun addressing the media lamenting the awarding of his opponent, Seth Panyako, the party certificate clearing him to vie for the Malava parliamentary seat left vacant after the passing of Malulu Injendi, when rowdy goons stormed the presser and stopped him from addressing, alleging that he wasn’t welcome in Kakamega to address his political concerns.

It forced Burudi to cut short his speech, and he demanded that he would only continue after the invaders left.

Efforts by the media to inquire who they were or what they wanted bore no fruits, as they maintained that Burudi should vacate the premises and do the presser in Malava.

“You have always overlooked us here in Kakamega, and you cannot just come to this town and hold pressers without informing us. We run this town,” one of them, who was the leader, stood his ground.

Efforts by the media to have Burudi continue with the presser seemed futile as more reinforcements were called by the goons, forcing the hotel management to cancel the briefing, fearing for the safety of their customers and property.

Burudi remained within the precincts of the hotel as the media was requested to leave to clear the tension being witnessed.

It was not clear who had sent the goons or how they knew of the media briefing, but what came out clear was that someone tipped and paid them to disrupt the presser. They later opened up to the press that they were demanding Ksh20,000 to allow Burudi to proceed with his briefing, a thing Burudi refused to honor.

Burudi had called a press conference to complain why his party, DAP-Kenya, had awarded Seth Panyako the DAP-Kenya ticket, and yet he had moved to court to bar him from contesting, alleging that he had not resigned as the LAPFUND board member.

Burudi has since moved to court to challenge the party decision, as he argues that he is the bona fide DAP-Kenya aspirant.

Elsewhere, it was pomp and dance for Panyako supporters after the party officials, led by Eugene Wamalwa, Eseli Simiyu, and Wafula Wamunyinyi, awarded and announced Panyako as their party flag bearer to face off with UDA, DCP, DNA, and Kenya One aspirants for the Malava MP seat.

Just a day before Panyako was given the DAP-Kenya certificate, Burudi had filed a legal suit against him, alleging that he was not eligible to vie as he was yet to resign from being a member of the LAPFUND board.

The controversy stems from allegations that the outspoken Panyako failed to comply with mandatory election laws requiring public officers to resign from their positions before vying for political office.

In reference to a signed letter addressed to the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) by Okubasu & Munene Advocates, Panyako did not resign from his position at LAPFUND within the legally stipulated timeframe.

According to the Elections Act, Section 43(5A) mandates that public officers intending to contest in by-elections must resign within seven days of the declaration of a vacancy.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) declared the vacancy for Malava Constituency on August 8, 2025, meaning Panyako was required to resign by August 15, 2025.

Instead, Panyako has continued to serve as a board member at LAPFUND, attending official events, including the recent Devolution Conference in Homa Bay (August 11–15, 2025) and a LAPFUND workshop in Naivasha (September 8–12, 2025).

These actions, according to the advocates, demonstrate his continued engagement in public service, rendering him ineligible to participate in party nominations or contest for the parliamentary seat.

LAPFUND, a state corporation established under the Local Authorities Provident Fund Act, operates under the oversight of the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning.

While a Court of Appeal ruling in 2021 clarified that state corporations are not part of the public service, the advocates argue that Panyako’s role as a board member qualifies him as a public officer under the Elections Act.

The advocates, acting on behalf of their client, Caleb Burudi, who had paid his fee of Ksh250,000 to become the DAP-Kenya aspirant for the Malava parliamentary seat, had called on the DAP-K party to disqualify Panyako from participating in party nominations.

The letter was also copied to key government agencies, including the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), and the Registrar of Political Parties, urging swift action to uphold the law.

The case in question highlights the importance of adherence to election laws and raises questions about accountability among public officers seeking political office.

As the November by-election draws closer, the spotlight remains on DAP-K and the IEBC to ensure compliance with legal requirements and maintain the integrity of the electoral process.

The move has sparked mixed reactions, with his supporters crying foul and pointing at the government as having an upper hand in trying to lock their candidate from vying, as they know he will win by a landslide against their UDA candidate, while those opposed to his candidature celebrated, saying he was the only stumbling block as far as their candidate clinching the seat is concerned.

Panyako, who contested for the Malava seat in 2022 against the late MP Malulu Injendi, lost narrowly, garnering 20,000 votes against the deceased’s 22,000, and has been considered by many as the toughest front-runner in the coming by-election.