Clan Politics Take Centre Stage in Crowded Field to Replace Malulu Injendi

• Abashu clan unanimously endorsed Senior Assistant Inspector-General of Police Nelson Shilunji Taliti as their sole candidate

• As Taliti’s political fortunes scale up, the latest to be rejected by his kinsmen is lawyer Lewis Shitanda

By Grace Makovu

KAKAMEGA, Kenya, Sunday, March 30, 2025 - The ballooning candidature for the impending Malava parliamentary by-election to replace the late Moses Malulu Injendi is apparently going to be determined by entrenched clan politics of the Kabras sub-tribe of the populous Luyha community.

As the succession politics take shape, some hopefuls are already being dropped and rejected by their respective clans ahead of the expected titanic by-election.

In a decisive move, recently, the Abashu clan unanimously endorsed Senior Assistant Inspector-General of Police Nelson Shilunji Taliti as their sole candidate.

Confirming the far-reaching resolution, subclan chairman Francis Mulari and Secretary General Kennedy Tovoko are now consolidating the vote bloc behind him.

On the face value, this effectively puts Shilunji Taliti ahead of the pack and the favourite by dint of getting blessing and anointment as the flag bearer of one of the most populous clan - Abushu.

The soft-spoken Shilunji appears to be well-positioned by his ingenuity to gel with the populous Gen-Z generation.

As Shilunji’s political fortunes scale up, the latest to be rejected by his kinsmen is lawyer Lewis Shitanda, who was asked to shelve his ambition by the Abatali subclan in favour of Daniel Mwachi whom they perceive to be a stronger candidate.

In a parley at Minata hotel in Webuye and attended by three contestants, including Lewis Shitanda, Daniel Mwachi, and Simon Kangwana, chaired John Shitanda, Mwachi was endorsed after a vote was conducted where Kangwana and Shitanda got 4 and 2 votes respectively.

All thirteen subclans of Abatali were present as the secretary, John Mukwe communicated the outcome, and they all agreed to abide by the decision, as going against it could have grave consequences.

Abatovo subclan had, late last year, landed on Bungoma High School principal Enock Andanje as their preferred candidate against the Kenya National Union of Nurses Secretary General Seth Panyako.

Panyako contested in 2017 for the Kakamega senatorial position, losing it Cleophas Malalah and the Malava parliamentary position in 2022 and losing to Injendi.

The clan has, however, requested him to seek any other elective post and not that of MP.

In the late MP's home turf, his Abasonje subclan has warned his son Rhyan Injendi against contesting, saying he should wait until his father’s spirit rests first, as it is an abomination for him to go for the seat this early.

This will pave the way for an automatic endorsement of lawyer and Advocate of the High Court, Edgar Busiega, to face other candidates in the by-election.

More than 20 candidates have declared interest in replacing the late MP, and more are yet to declare.

The Malava by-election, which pundits tout will be a fierce battle of wits and nerves, has an already crowded field of over 20 aspirants keen to succeed the departed three-term lawmaker.

Those in the contest are former Kenya School of Government (KSG) lecturer and a project planning and management consultant Caleb Sunguti, Senior Assistant Inspector-General of Police Nelson Shilunji Taliti, lawyer Edgar Busiega Mwanga, former Malava Boys’ High School Principal Daniel Mwachi, activist Caleb Burudi, Dr Enock Andanje, trade unionist and security expert Dr Enock Makanga, Benjamin Nalwa, Jonah Barasai, lawyer Lewis Shitanda, retired educationist Mwalimu Kangwana, Toli Mukoyani, former Nominated Kakamega MCA Lazarus Lucheveleli, Lilian Sospeter, Samuel Tsimbwela, Michael Murambi Angatia, Wanangwe Kulecho, Simon Waiti, former journalist George Munji and one Samuel Liguru.

Former nominated senator Naomi Shiyonga, popularly known as Mama Signal, is the latest and the only female aspirant to declare her intention to vie for the vacant seat.

Since independence, all six previous MPs for the area have been men.

Thus: Jonathan Masinde Welangai (1963-69), Burudi Nabwera (1969-79), Joshua Mulanda Angatia (1979-1988, 1992-97), Nathan Sanya Anaswa (1988-1992), Peter Soita Shitanda (1997-2013) and Malulu (2012-2025).

Already, names of 23 potential candidates have cropped up long before the National Assembly declares the seat vacant and the electoral agency, which is yet to be constituted, sets the voting date.

The panel to recruit new IEBC commissioners after the exit of the team chaired by the late Wafula Chebukati in January 2023 is currently in the process of interviewing potential fresh office-bearers.

It is estimated that, barring any incumbrances, the earliest the by-elections could be held is in the months of September/October.

Going by the names that have already popped up since Malulu’s demise, the Malava by-election is boiling down to a generational tiff and clan supremacy as well as party choice.