By Faith Anene, Kakamega
With the UDA primaries set for September 20, in Malava constituency, aspirants who are seeking to vie on the ruling party and local leaders have appealed for calm and peaceful campaigns before the by election.
The primaries will determine who carries the UDA flag in the parliamentary race to replace Malulu Injendi, the late MP whose passing left the seat vacant. With emotions expected to run high, candidates are urging their supporters to shun violence and embrace a fair democratic process.
Simon Kangwana, one of the frontrunners, has called for unity and tolerance within the party. Speaking in Tande village after a meeting with elders from the Abatali community, Kangwana urged residents to prioritise development over divisive politics.
“Our late MP, Malulu Injendi, had started several important projects across the constituency. If elected, I will ensure these projects are completed while also introducing new initiatives to uplift livelihoods. But first, we must ensure the campaigns remain peaceful and issue-based,” he said.
During the meeting, Abatali elders led by John Shitanda formally endorsed Kangwana’s candidature.
Shitanda described him as an experienced leader with the integrity and vision to guide Malava forward.
“We have looked at all the candidates, and we strongly believe that Kangwana has the heart to serve and the knowledge to transform this constituency. We ask the people of Malava to stand with him,” he said.
