Voting continued in Malava constituency on Thursday despite the arrest of DAP Kenya’s candidate, Seth Panyako, who was detained at Malava Police Station during polling hours.
The party accused police of orchestrating the arrest following a night of intimidation that reportedly involved assaults on agents and property damage.
DAP Kenya condemned the incident, alleging that “goons under police supervision terrorised him the whole night, injured our agents, destroyed property and now they want to intimidate him,” according to a statement issued by the party.
The statement called for respect of the electoral process and protection of candidates and polling staff.
Mumias East MP Peter Salasya, a prominent local political figure, addressed the situation, assuring voters that the party had established multiple parallel independent tallying centres.
He stated, “Goonism can’t override the will of the people.
All the best to Hon. Seth Kuka Panyako. Let him be at the police station; we shall come to pick him when we want to announce results for his safety. The will of the people of Malava can’t be taken away.”
The Malava by-election follows a history of intense local contests, with political parties often deploying agents to safeguard votes and tally results independently.
Parallel tallying centres, a common practice in Kenya’s competitive constituencies, are intended to ensure transparency and reduce disputes over official results announced by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Electoral observers in the region noted that incidents of candidate harassment and agent intimidation, although rare, can significantly affect voter confidence.
Authorities confirmed the candidate’s detention but did not immediately provide further details.
Voting was reported to be ongoing across Malava constituency, with local residents encouraged to remain calm and exercise their voting rights.
Both DAP Kenya and allied political leaders emphasized the importance of maintaining peace while the electoral process continued.