A petition has been filed seeking to bar Seth Ambusini Panyako, a Board Member at LAPFUND, from contesting the Malava parliamentary by-election scheduled for November 27, 2025. The petition argues that Panyako failed to resign from public office within the legally mandated timeframe.

• The petition claims Panyako continued to serve at LAPFUND past the August 15 resignation deadline, citing his participation in events such as the Devolution Conference between August 11–15 and a LAPFUND workshop from September 9–12.
• The petition was lodged on behalf of fellow aspirant Caleb Burudi.
• The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) declared the seat vacant on August 8, 2025, through Gazette Notice No. 11158.
• A 2021 Court of Appeal decision affirmed that board membership in institutions like LAPFUND constitutes public office, requiring resignation for electoral candidacy.