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Officials have dismissed as fake claims that ODM has preferred candidates who will be given direct party tickets for next year's general election.
The party's National Elections Board officials on Saturday told delegates in Kisumu that there are no preferred candidates for any seats.
NEB commissioner Syntei Nchoe said the board has not started the nominations process and "currently we do not even have a date for the exercise."
“It does not make sense that we have certificates given to people or preferred candidates yet no primaries have been held,” Syntei said.
She said the elections board will conduct party primaries at an appropriate time starting around February next year within the timeframe of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
“The board does not have any preferred candidates or anybody to be given direct tickets as being propagated. We have no preferred aspirant anywhere across the country,” Syntei said.
The commissioner assured that the party will conduct free, fair and transparent nominations
Her comments came following fears raised by Kisumu Senator Fred Outa that the party was scheming to favour some aspirants.
Outa, who is seeking to unseat Governor Anyang Nyong’o in the 2022 General Election, has asked the board to pronounce itself on rumours of issuing direct tickets to some preferred candidates.
The senator called for unity of purpose among leaders, saying that was the only way to help party leader Raila Odinga win the presidency in 2022.
He said the unity will help consolidate Raila's backyard. He also supported the route of consensus for grassroots elections.
Outa urged party members to prevent any infighting within the region.
The senator said party members must avoid political intolerance which he said was unhealthy for Raila quest for the presidency.
The leaders spoke at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu during the ODM National Elections Board meeting with party delegates. More than 100 delegates attended the meeting.
Among those present were Nyong’o, Kisumu Deputy Governor Mathews Owili, Kisumu Central MP Fred Ouda and his Seme counterpart James Nyikal and a host of MCAs.
County ODM chairman Ayiecho Olweny said delegates agreed to conduct grassroots elections through consensus due to lack of enough time and Covid-19 pandemic.
“We have resolved to conduct the election within two weeks and submit the outcome immediately before the National Delegates Conference in Nairobi,” Olweny said.
He said only registered party members will participate in the elections.
NEB secretary Abdulahi Diriye said the consensus method was the best to avoid infighting during grassroots party elections.
“We are very happy that we are in Kisumu meeting delegates from the seven constituencies. We are basically here for the grassroots elections,” Diriye said.
He said similar meetings have been conducted across the country.
“We have been holding elections in counties across the country and we are happy that it has been very peaceful,” the former Wajir South MP said.
He said the elections will be done at polling station, ward, constituency and county levels.
The party will then hold the NDC but for now, "we are still focusing on the grassroots elections which have been smooth countywide."
“All the party officials from the grassroots shall have been put in place in two weeks,” Diriye said.
Edited by P.O
