- On Saturday tension was high after ODM's election board suddenly changed some polling centres, and refused to release name of officials by Sunday.
- Woman Rep Pamela Odhiombo said the ODM party decision on direct tickets based on opinion polls was flawed and not verifiable.
Image: MANUEL ODENY
ODM primaries for Migori county slated for Monday have been marred by controversy before kick-off over decision to offer direct tickets.
The party through official communication by National Election Board chairperson Catherine Mumma said only Suna West MP race, Woman Representative and 40 wards will have universal suffrage.
Other seats, including hotly contested governor, senator, and MP races in Rongo, Awendo, Uriri, Suna East and Nyatike will be offered direct tickets.
Migori Woman Representative Pamela Odhiambo who is seeking the governor ticket has opposed the party decision to hand Senator Ochilo Ayacko the direct ticket insisting on Monday there will be voting for the seat.
From Friday evening, Odhiambo has been marshalling her support base and vigorously campaigning across the county complete with caravans and stop overs against Ayacko’s ticket.
“We want to know why Ayacko is afraid to meet other contestants in the ballot and come to the ground, what is he fearing? Until Friday the party never told us voting was to be called off. My agents and supporters will march to polling centres and vote,” Odhiambo said while addressing supporters in Rongo town on Saturday.
She said the ODM party decision on direct tickets based on opinion polls was flawed and not verifiable.
“I have been loyal to the party and my leader Raila Odinga, I have sacrificed my life for this party. I heard somewhere that there was negotiation to see where to place me, and I have not been contacted officially. We will wake up and vote on Monday,” she said.
On Saturday night, the Monday exercise was thrown in further confusion after Star established Mumma issued a new set of polling centres, a week after the county leadership outlined stations to be used in the coming exercise.
It further emerged that by Sunday, the elections board had not disclosed the list of polling clerks, returning officers and the presiding officers, throwing the fate of the exercise into oblivion.
“There’s something the party is hiding from us. We had met with all aspirants and deliberated on the venues for nominations. Why then is NEB working behind our back and bringing a new list the last minute after we had set everything in place. This is an act of sabotage that risks plunging the county into chaos,” Joseph Olala, the county ODM secretary general said.
Already, tension is brewing in Suna West constituency as supporters of incumbent Peter Masara and his sole rival Joseph Ndiege in ODM primaries clashed from Friday.
In Awendo constituency, Peter Midodo an aspirant who was left out as the incumbent Walter Owino was handed a direct ticket, has demanded the party to refund his Sh250,000 fee.
In Uriri, Jared Kwaga also said he will vie as an independent candidate and announce his move this week after the incumbent Mark Nyamita was handed a direct ticket.
While some lauded the move, others said it was a recipe for chaos and risked polarising the already volatile county.
“We are glad that the party made a right choice by handing direct tickets to certain candidates. This will save us from violence often witnessed during the build up to nominations. It will also ensure we have loyal candidates who will work closely with Raila,” Samwel Orwa, a resident said.
-Edited by SKanyara