Former Senator Cleophas Malalah on Sunday, January 1 threw a lavish housewarming party as he unveiled his new palatial home in Makunga, Kakamega County.
Malalah hosted among others Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala, who was his gubernatorial running mate, Kakamega Deputy Chief Whip, and the clergy as he commissioned his new house.
"Kenya Kwanza Administration sits well for upcoming companies to deliver not just houses to Kenyans but jobs too. Welcome for tea. Happy New Year," Malala wrote.
Images seen by Kenyans.co.ke revealed a two-story house sitting on a sizeable track of land surrounded by a well-manicured lawn.
The main entrance of the all-white residence is a flight of staircases leading into the foyer - a characteristic loved by the elite.
Malalah and his family would make way into the all-white residence through a grand entrance with a staircase leading in from the foyer.
Above the entrance is a balcony, which is among six and can be spotted from the front view. The interior of the house spoke to the lavishness of having served in public office.
Inside is an open area with multiple lounge areas. Hanging from the slab towards the main sitting area is a chandelier mimicking the pyramids of Egypt.
The young politician graced the living room with gypsum finishing with ambient lighting. At the edge of the lounge, a staircase leads to an interior balcony.
Details of how many rooms and bathrooms the home has remain scanty but should be in double digits.
The palatial home sparked a debate on how the ex-senator amassed cash to build the house. Notably, Malalah has been in public office for over 10 years.
He was first elected as a member of county assembly (MCA) in 2013 before he won the senatorial race in 2017.
The basic salary of an MCA is Ksh86,625 with allowances pushing it to Ksh144,375. Ward representatives are also entitled to a mortgage of Ksh3 million and a car grant of Ksh2 million.
As a senator Malalah pocketed a gross salary of Ksh750,000. In addition, he had access to a Ksh20 million mortgage and Ksh7 million car grant.
He lost his gubernatorial bid on an ANC ticket to Fernandez Barasa of ODM. While he has no known position in President William Ruto's government, Malalah has graced several state functions, implying his closeness to the powers that be.
The vocal politician has also been part of Western Kenya delegations flocking State House as Ruto seeks to wrestle the region from former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's grip.
