Seth Panyako has officially rejoined the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), ending his brief stint with the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) and declaring that he will seek the Malava parliamentary seat on the ruling party's ticket in the 2027 General Election.
The Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Secretary General announced the decision through a statement shared on his social media platforms on Thursday, July 16, saying his political journey is now firmly focused on reclaiming the Malava constituency seat.
Panyako also dismissed reports suggesting he is considering a bid for the Kakamega Senate seat, insisting that his only political ambition is to become the next Member of Parliament for Malava.
"I will be vying for the Member of Parliament for Malava Constituency on the UDA Party ticket in the 2027 General Election. Wale wanasema mambo ya senator hiyo ni Propaganda," he said.
The announcement marks a major shift for the trade unionist, who left UDA before the 2025 Malava parliamentary by-election following disagreements with the party and the Kenya Kwanza administration.
After quitting the ruling party, he joined Eugene Wamalwa's DAP-K and flew its flag in the by-election but was defeated by UDA's David Ndakwa.
Panyako had previously served as UDA's vice chairperson ahead of the 2022 General Election before resigning, accusing the party and the Kenya Kwanza government of abandoning commitments made to the people of Western Kenya.
Despite losing the by-election, he remained an outspoken critic of the government and at one point claimed he had been approached to return to the Kenya Kwanza administration through an appointment as Principal Secretary for Higher Education, a position currently held by Beatrice Inyangala.
His latest announcement comes just days after the Kakamega High Court threw out his petition seeking to overturn Ndakwa's victory in the 2025 Malava parliamentary by-election.
The court found that the evidence presented did not justify nullifying the election, effectively upholding Ndakwa's win.
Interestingly, Panyako had initially maintained that he would not challenge the outcome in court despite alleging electoral irregularities. He later changed course, explaining that the decision to file the petition was influenced by his party leader.
Reacting to the court's decision, he argued that the judgment had confirmed his earlier reservations about pursuing an election petition, maintaining that he would never again seek to overturn election results through the courts because of the difficulty of succeeding in such cases.
His return to UDA adds a fresh twist to the political landscape in Western Kenya, with parties already reorganising ahead of the 2027 General Election and the Malava parliamentary race expected to attract significant attention.