Kwale ODM supporters reject direct ticket issuance

A section of Kwale residents have called on ODM to conduct nominations for every contested political seat. 

They opposed the idea of giving direct tickets to certain individuals, saying it will cause enmity and division between party members.

On Friday a group of Zuleikha Hassan's supporters cried foul, alleging that there is a secret plot to deny the Kinango parliamentary hopeful the ticket.

Zuleikha wants to unseat the current MP Benjamin Tayari who decamped from ODM to UDA and is now a diehard member of the Kenya Kwanza alliance.

The residents, led by their chairman Vincent Safari Nyanje, said the party should let people exercise their democratic rights freely and shun unfairness.

Nyanje said for fairness to prevail all the aspirants should be given equal opportunities to battle for the ticket in the party primary and let the people decide for themselves.

"No ticket should be given behind a tent. If they are men enough let them meet Zuleikha in the nominations," he said.

The chairman accused senior county ODM officials of misleading Raila Odinga.

He blamed them for disunity and mayhem amongst ODM members in the region.

Last week, a sharp division occurred when some of the party officials declared that the gubernatorial ticket had been given to Hamadi Boga.

The announcement was made by the county ODM organising secretary James Nyakiti and treasurer Hellen Mwikali Masha.

They made the remarks in an interview at the Forest Whispers hotel in Msambweni.

The results led to confusion and resentment amongst the ODM members.

Those supporting Chai Lung'anzi and Agnes Zani expressed disappointment and demanded justice.

Some threatened to ditch the party and campaign against Raila while others tried to cope with the bitter truth. 

Speaker Sammy Ruwa who foresaw the betrayal made an early decision to join Pamoja African Alliance party.

Lung'anzi is yet to make his move.

Speaking in a press briefing in Kinango, Nyanje said he is hurt by how ODM is sidelining the diehard members and giving tickets based on favouritism.

Magruette Chikuta said they won't accept the party to make decisions on their behalf.

"The party is in no position to decide who is best for us. That is our responsibility and will be done through nominations," she said.

Chikuta said if ODM is insisting on the issuance of a direct ticket then it should go to none but Zuleikha who has been loyal and stood by the party.

She said they want a leader who can fight for the rights of the people and bring development. 

Another Emanuel Mwayaya Mnyika said they cannot believe that the party they trusted the most is making blunders and encouraging inequalities.

Mnyika said the unwise decisions made by the party is making them lose faith in ODM.

He questioned the criteria used to choose individuals for the direct party tickets.

The Samburu/Chengoni aspirant said the lack of transparency in the party is giving members a headache, warning that it poses a threat to the party's stability.

He said ODM must follow the right channels, adding that favouritism will cause more harm than good to the party.

Ngati Ndegwa said the politics of favouritism is outdated and people should embrace democracy.

He said being denied the opportunity to participate in the party primaries is a violation of their democratic rights.

Sammy Bidu Shadrack who is representing Kinango youth told the party they want transparent, free and fair nominations to fulfil their constitutional obligations.

Zuleikha was expected to meet former Kinango MP Samuel Gonzi Rai in party ticket nominations.

Last week, ODM published a notice of party primary dates that run from April 1 to April 21.

Kwale is scheduled to have the primaries on April 5, 2022.

The nominations are to be done for county governor seats, senators, MPs, women representatives and MCAs.

(edited by Amol Awuor)