Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Secretary General Seth Panyako has returned to President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), marking a dramatic political comeback just years after he walked out of the ruling party.
Panyako announced on Friday that he had resigned from Eugene Wamalwa’s Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) and would contest the Malava parliamentary seat on a UDA ticket in the 2027 General Election.
“I will be vying for the Member of Parliament, Malava Constituency, on the UDA Party ticket in the 2027 General Election,” Panyako said, while dismissing reports linking him to the Kakamega Senate race as propaganda.
His return to UDA is a sharp turnaround from 2023, when he resigned as the party’s Vice Chair, accusing the government of burdening Kenyans with the high cost of living, the Housing Levy and other unpopular policies.
After leaving UDA, Panyako joined DAP-K and became one of the government’s vocal critics. The opposition later fronted him as its candidate in the 2025 Malava by-election following the death of MP Malulu Injendi.
Despite receiving backing from several opposition leaders, Panyako narrowly lost the race to UDA’s David Ndakwa. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) declared Ndakwa the winner with 21,564 votes, against Panyako’s 20,210 votes.
Panyako challenged the outcome in court, alleging irregularities, but his petition was dismissed. Last month, he declared he would make another attempt at the seat in 2027.
His decision to return to UDA is expected to reshape the political contest in Malava, where he is now likely to battle for the party ticket ahead of the next General Election. It also comes as political realignments continue to gather pace across the country, with leaders positioning themselves for the 2027 race.