Seth Panyako Declares He Will ‘Swear Himself In’ as Malava’s People’s MP After Disputed By-Election
Seth Panyako has sparked fresh political controversy after announcing that he intends to “swear himself in” as the people’s Member of Parliament for Malava once he returns to the constituency — despite the official by-election results declaring another candidate the winner.
Speaking during a local podcast on Thursday, December 4, 2025, the former Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) boss appeared visibly frustrated as he dismissed the outcome of the recent Malava by-election. Panyako insisted that he would not concede defeat, arguing that the will of the electorate had been overturned in favour of what he termed “an imposed victory”.
“I cannot concede defeat. I won that seat, but my victory was handed to somebody else,” he said. “I’m going to be sworn in as the people’s Member of Parliament for Malava. Just wait for my homecoming and you will see.”
Invoking the 2018 ‘People’s President’ Ceremony
Panyako drew comparisons to the symbolic swearing-in of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in January 2018, a ceremony officiated by lawyer Miguna Miguna at Uhuru Park during the political standoff that followed the 2017 presidential election.
The former unionist said he plans to replicate a similar move in Malava by organising a homecoming ceremony where a lawyer will administer an oath declaring him the “people’s MP”.
According to Panyako, his motivation is inspired by what he described as “the spirit of Raila Odinga”, even going so far as to dramatically suggest that he sees himself as Raila’s political reincarnation.
“Now I Understand Raila’s Pain”
Panyako, who previously vowed that he would retire from active politics if he lost the by-election, appeared to reverse his stance, saying the defeat had given him new insight into Odinga’s long history of election disputes.
“Now I understand the pain that Raila went through three times,” he said. “I apologise for any bad things I ever said about him. What he faced is exactly what I am going through now.”
He claimed that his loss did not reflect the will of Malava residents, arguing that the official tally did not match the support he believes he received on the ground.
Not Afraid of State Intervention
Panyako added that he expects his planned ceremony to attract scrutiny but said he is not worried about attempts to disrupt it.
“I am not afraid of anything. I have already gone through a lot. If the state wants to come, let them come,” he remarked.
Raila’s Influence on His Political Career
During the interview, Panyako also revealed that Raila Odinga played a pivotal role in shaping his entry into politics. He said Odinga personally offered him an ODM ticket in 2017, allowing him to contest the Kakamega senatorial seat, although he was unsuccessful.
“Raila is the one who brought me into politics,” he noted, adding that this history partly explains why he feels aligned with Odinga’s past electoral experiences.
Panyako’s planned self-swearing-in has already drawn public attention, setting the stage for potential political friction in Malava as the aftermath of the by-election continues to unfold.
Seth Panyako Declares He Will ‘Swear Himself In’ as Malava’s People’s MP After Disputed By-Election