• In Nyanza, particularly Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay and Migori counties, talk of preferred candidates has been rife.
• This has scared away aspirants who feel fairness and credible nominations will be a mirage.
ODM appears determined to rid itself of shambolic primaries that have in the past tainted the image of the outfit.
Top party officials seem keen to right the wrongs of the past, admitting that potential candidates from ODM strongholds have remained reluctant to join the party for fear of being rigged out.
In Nyanza, particularly Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay and Migori counties, talk of preferred candidates has been rife. This has scared away aspirants who feel fairness and credible nominations will be a mirage.
In these counties, the party has attracted bigwigs and party loyalists who enjoy close links with party leader Raila Odinga.
In the Homa Bay governor race, those seeking the ODM ticket include former MP Oyugi Magwanga, former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, Woman Representative Gladys Wanga and party chairman John Mbadi.
In Siaya, Senator James Orengo will face off with former police spokesman Charles Owino and Deputy Governor James Okumbe.
The contest pitting party bigwigs continues to pose a real headache among ODM leadership on how to navigate the primaries without causing a fallout.
Early this week, deputy party leader and Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya asked party officials to stop weakening the party by going round claiming certain aspirants had been handed certificates.
He said potential candidates are too scared to join the party and have opted to join smaller parties where they are sure of getting direct tickets.
Oparanya spoke on Monday at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu.
“Party officials must remain impartial. You must embrace everyone. This is the only way to build the party and make it stronger. We want everyone on board,” he said.
Oparanya is a close ally of Raila.
The governor singled out Kisumu West MP Olago Aluoch among the leaders who are weary of the party, despite several attempts to have him back in the ODM fold.
“I have reached out to the MP several times trying to convince him to join the party but he always raises the issue of the conduct of the party nominations,” he said.
Oparanya, who was among the founders of the Orange Movement in 2005, said the focus of party officials at the moment should be to recruit members at the grassroots.
"We need as many people as possible to join the party and make it stronger,” he said.
Only registered party members will take part in the nominations of candidates in April, Oparanya said.
“The window to register as a member is still ongoing. Please ensure that you register because if you are just a supporter, you won’t be allowed to pick your candidate during the nominations,” he said.
Observers say shambolic nominations and talk of preferred candidates in ODM are partly to blame for the low numbers of people turning up to list as voters in the party strongholds.
In 2017 in Kisumu East, ODM party candidate lost to MP Shakeel Shabbir who ran as an independent candidate.
The MP, who is seeking a fourth term, ditched the party because of unfair primaries.
In Muhoroni, incumbent MP Onyango Koyoo won on PDP party, while in Siaya ODM lost the Ugenya seat to David Ochieng of MDG. Ochieng was once in ODM.
Some ODM delegates have started endorsing candidates, leaving other aspirants seeking party tickets wondering whether there will be credible, free and fair nominations.
In Kisumu, for example, more than 1,000 delegates gathered at Tom Mboya Labour College on Monday to endorse Governor Anyang Nyong’o for a second term.
Ken Obura and Nyong’o are the only aspirants eyeing the party ticket after Senator Fred Outa, former speaker Onyango Oloo and former Governor Jack Ranguma dropped their bids.
The trio is now supporting Obura to face Nyong’o in the primaries.
Edited by A.N