By John Mutiso
Tensions ran high in Malava on Thursday, November 27, as voters headed to the polls, with accusations of violence and provocation emerging from the campaign trail.
Speaking after casting his vote, UDA candidate David Ndakwa said he has deliberately maintained calm despite alleged persistent hostility from rival camps.
He said he has endured repeated provocation from his opponents throughout the campaign period and even on election day, but has deliberately chosen not to respond.
“Mostly, there has been a lot of abuses from my opponents, there has been a lot of fights on the side of my opponents, even up to this time, but I’ve restrained myself. They have done all sorts of abuses to me, I’ve not even tried to reply back.
“They’ve done attacks to my colleagues, even MCAs, Members of Parliament, but I’ve asked them not to retaliate because this is an election that I’m winning,” he said.
Ndakwa noted that his decision to stay calm is driven by a commitment to demonstrate leadership and protect residents from unnecessary confrontation.
“I have to show some exemplary leadership by getting humility first as a character, because I don’t have to let the people bleed for me to lead. That is why I’ve restrained myself, I’ve been provoked a lot, but for me, I’ve been for peace all through.
“During my campaign, I’ve not even mentioned my competitor at any given time by name. I’ve not even tried to get into their territories with a lot of energy, because at the end of it, I have to respect them, and respect also the way they are conducting themselves,” he added.
Earlier, Ndakwa’s main rival in the contest, Seth Panyako, was allegedly attacked by goons on Wednesday night.
Addressing the media on Thursday, Panyako claimed that goons stormed his Down Hill hotel, where he was with his family.
The DAP-K candidate described the alleged attack as an attempted assassination on his life.
“The government machinery, together with criminals, attacked my hotel, which was also intended to be used as a personal tallying center, and the aim of the attack was to assassinate me with my wife. This is because, according to a poll that was done yesterday, I was doing 75 percent while the other candidate was doing 24 percent,” he claimed.
DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa has also commended the alleged attack on Panyako.
In a statement, Wamalwa accused the National Police Service (NPS) and Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials of facilitating the attack against Panyako.
“This nefarious scheme we warned Kenyans about yesterday, with my united opposition Co-principals Kalonzo Musyoka and Rigathi Gachagua of ballot stuffing, state-sponsored violence, and goonism is being executed by the Ruto Regime with Military precision and in collaboration with NPS and IEBC,” he alleged.
The DAP-K leader urged opposition supporters not to be intimidated and to come out in large numbers and vote for their preferred candidates.
