Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has reignited political hostilities in Western Kenya, issuing his strongest warning yet to Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya as the fiercely contested Malava by-election moves to the courtroom.

Speaking in Malava a day after UDA’s David Ndakwa was declared MP-elect, Mudavadi accused Natembeya’s Tawe Movement of attempting to “bulldoze its way into Luhya politics”, insisting the government would not allow what he termed “regional intimidation disguised as activism.”

The by-election, which saw UDA clinch the seat after a high-octane campaign, is now headed for a legal showdown after rival candidates alleged irregularities. Opposition lawyers have already written to the electoral commission demanding access to KIEMS logs, ballot counterfoils and result forms from at least seven polling stations.

Sources within the opposition coalition told The Times that a formal petition will be filed “within days”.

“We’re not stepping back” — Mudavadi

Mudavadi, fresh from rallying voters in the hotly contested constituency, said the government side had demonstrated its organisational muscle and would replicate the same strategy across the region ahead of the 2027 polls.

“This victory is only the beginning,” he said. “Let Natembeya and his team know — we are ready for a long contest. We will match them constituency by constituency.”

The PCS said the by-election had revealed “a new determination” among Western voters to back leaders aligned with government.

Natembeya digs in

Tawe Movement officials dismissed Mudavadi’s remarks as bluster, insisting the Malava race was “far from settled.”

Natembeya, speaking in Kitale, said the by-election exposed what he claimed were “glaring systemic issues” in electoral administration.

“We shall let the law take its course,” he said. “If the court orders a fresh election, the people of Malava will speak again.”

UDA braces for legal battle

Ndakwa, the MP-elect, maintained that his win reflected “the will of Malava’s people” and said he was ready to defend it in court.
UDA strategists, meanwhile, have set up a legal team to respond to the petition once filed.

Insiders told The Times that the party views the case as a critical test of its strength in the Western region, a bloc the ruling coalition is desperate to consolidate before 2027.

What’s next in Malava?

Political analysts say the Malava contest — originally considered a local affair — has quickly morphed into a symbolic turf war between Mudavadi and Natembeya as both men compete for influence among Luhya voters.

“Malava was just the opening bout,” said Professor Arnold Maelo of Masinde Muliro University. “The court process will keep tensions high, and we should expect the rhetoric to intensify.”

As the petition heads to court, both camps are preparing for a prolonged fight — one that could shape the political future of Western Kenya.