• Immediate former MCA whose win was contested alleges party wants to use nominations to bring non-ODM candidates through back door.
• Petitioner of election result says he is ready for nominations.
A major showdown looms within ODM in Kilifi county following a planned by-election in Dabaso ward.
The seat was declared vacant late last year. Even though the date of the by-election is yet to be announced by the IEBC, candidates within the party have started to differ.
ODM has three candidates, including immediate former MCA Emmanuel Changawa, whose election was nullified by the High court last year.
Others who have declared interest in the seat on the ODM ticket are Dickson Karani–the petitioner who successfully challenged Changawa's victory –, and Hamza Hussein, who lost in 2017 after serving one term.
Reports indicate the party has opted for nominations to give the best candidate the ticket.
Those opposed to the nominations are terming the move a scheme to impose a candidate through the backdoor.
Changawa and his supporters on Sunday said they had heard reports of the scheme and warned party headquarters and some elected leaders in the county against the move.
They will not accept the candidate if chosen this way, he said.
During the briefing at Dabaso trading centre, ODM supporters allied to Changawa said they were aware of a scheme to deny him the ticket.
Supporter Paul Katana urged the party to conduct free and fair nominations or give the immediate former MCA a direct ticket "as he had been loyal to the party and served them well at the ward".
"We have noted plans by some ODM officials to front candidates who are not ODM members through the backdoor," Katana said.
The concerns, he said, arose after those from other parties who battled with Changawa in 2017 started taking charge of ODM politics following the nullification of the election.
Karani declared he would contest the seat on an ODM ticket "as he was a life member of the party".
Speaking separately in Gede, he said he was ready for nominations and urged party members to be ready for the battle and support whoever wins.
He produced documents proving ODM membership and dismissed claims he was joining the party through the backdoor.
Karani, who was also accompanied by his supporters, said there will be no favours as long as people pay for the nominations. He urged other ODM candidates to attend the nominations.
One of his supporters, Juma Katana, said they are prepared and waiting for the date of the by-election to be announced.
"We believe he will take us to another level in the development of Dabaso ward," he said.
Katana said they are prepared like the previous time when they won "but their victory was stolen".
Changawa's supporters called on party leader Raila Odinga and secretary general Edwin Sifuna to intervene and ensure there is fairness in the nomination.
Dama Vere said the party will suffer dire consequences if they fail to listen to their calls.
"Changawa was a development-conscious leader, he disbursed bursaries fairly to needy students without bias," she said.
Dabaso is an ODM stronghold. The candidate who succeeds in the nomination will most likely win the by-elections.
Newly formed Umoja Summit Party is also expected to field a candidate.
Currently, all eyes are on the IEBC to declare the date of the by-election for campaigns to begin.
Edited by R.Wamochie