Malulu Injendi’s son Rhyan speaks on reason he will contest Malava by-election on UDA ticket
By Steve Ireri, August 5, 2025Rhyan Injendi, the eldest son of the late Malava MP Malulu Injendi, has declared that he will contest in the upcoming Malava by-election under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), stating that it is the party his father belonged to and the one he now aligns himself with.
Speaking during an interview with a local TV station on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, Rhyan made it clear that while he has not formally unveiled the party on which he will be vying, UDA remains his political home.
He said that because his late father died while serving in government under the UDA party, it was only natural that he continues walking in the same political path.
“I was Malulu’s eldest son. I have not said which party I am vying for, but my father died while in the government’s UDA party, and that is my party now,” he said.
Rhyan revealed that he had already begun associating himself with the ruling party and even attended a recent rally dressed in UDA party colours.
He expressed hope that the party would walk with him in the race, and in return, he would dedicate himself to working closely with the youth and supporting government initiatives.
“Even yesterday I was wearing the party’s colours, and I hope the party will walk with me. If they will, I will also work with young people,” he added.
Rhyan also shared insights on the competition within the party, noting that although many initially expressed interest in the UDA ticket, the number has since reduced significantly.
Confident about his chances, he pointed out that his youthful age and the government’s apparent interest in promoting young leaders give him an edge in the contest.
“The number of people eyeing the seat in the by-election is around 30. In UDA, we are five. We started many, but now the number has come down to five. The total number of aspirants is actually 32. I know I stand a very high chance because I am a young person and the government loves young people now,” he said.
Born and raised in Kakamega, Ryan then revealed that he is a 34-year-old husband who has never held political office before.
He addressed public assumptions that he grew up in a deeply political family, clarifying that for most of his childhood, politics was not a central theme in their household.
“My father was a teacher for the longest time before he went into politics. He taught for years upcountry and then came back and joined Catholic University, where he became a lecturer and then registrar,” he explained.
Rhyan said politics only became part of their lives in 2013 when his father first ran for office.
Before that, their home was shaped by academia and a passion for education, not campaigns or rallies.
“Growing up, I would not say I was in a very political family. Rather, I was in an academician’s family, as my father loved academics. That assumption that I grew up in politics is false,” he noted.
Despite having initially planned to pursue politics in about 15 years, Ryan said the untimely death of his father has accelerated his journey into public leadership.
“For me, I was a leader all through, even in primary school, which is why I wanted to be a politician. So after seeing how my dad was faring politically, I said I wanted to be a political leader. It is something I had planned to be in the next 15 years, but now it has to be, as my father is no more,” he said.