A Kenyan Politician’s Fight Against Alleged State-Sponsored Assassination

By Obinna Tv Studios News Desk

In a raw and emotional interview, Malava constituency parliamentary hopeful Seth Panyako sat down with popular host Oga Obinna on Obinna Show Live. The interview peels back the layers of fear, betrayal, and resilience in one of the country’s most contentious by-elections. With over 6,000 views already racking up, Panyako’s account isn’t just a personal testimony – it’s a scathing indictment of what he calls a “government machinery” hell-bent on silencing dissent.

The live aired amid the fallout from last week’s Malava by-election and at a time when Kenya’s opposition voices are growing louder against President William Ruto’s administration. Panyako, the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) candidate, lost by a mere 1,354 votes to United Democratic Alliance (UDA) rival David Ndakwa, who clinched victory with 21,564 votes to Panyako’s 20,210. But for Panyako, the real battle was fought in the shadows – long before the ballot boxes were tallied.

The Night That Nearly Ended It All

Panyako’s story begins not with votes, but with violence. Just days before the November 27 by-election in Kakamega County’s Malava constituency, Panyako alleges a raid on his Downhill Hotel in Kaburengu Junction turned into a near-fatal ambush. “There was a direct attempt to assassinate me and my wife yesterday,” he declared in earlier statements that echoed through the interview. According to Panyako, the attack was no random act of thuggery but a planned operation involving state actors.

He points fingers directly at high-ranking figures close to President Ruto, naming Faruk Kibet, Nabii Abua, Stanley Leondo, and Rashid Eda as key orchestrators. “The government machinery, together with criminals, attacked my hotel, and the aim of the attack was to assassinate my wife and me,” Panyako recounted, his voice steady but laced with the weight of survival.

Tears at the Polling Station

The morning after the raid, Panyako arrived at St. Joseph’s Lunyu K Primary School polling station in tears – an image that has since become emblematic of the by-election’s brutality. Visibly shaken, he cast his vote while vowing not to be intimidated. “I have information that there are plans to eliminate me,” he had warned days earlier, pleading with security agencies to intervene.

Broader Implications for Kenyan Politics

Panyako’s allegations aren’t isolated. They tap into a growing chorus of discontent with Ruto’s government, from youth-led protests over economic woes to opposition leaders decrying authoritarian overreach. The Malava saga echoes similar claims from figures like Cleophas Malala, who has rallied against perceived UDA dominance in Western Kenya.

As Kenya approaches future polls, incidents like this raise urgent questions: How deep does political violence run in the corridors of power?

Watch the full interview here: