Former Kajiado governor David Nkedianye on Sunday said he wants ODM to conduct its April nominations without involving the Jubilee Party in Kajiado.
Nkedianye, who is an ODM life member and who spoke to the Star on the phone, said he will not trust a nomination process in which a Jubilee candidate will be involved.
“We have said it several times that we in ODM will get requisite votes for our presidential candidate if we are let alone," he said.
"Let Jubilee Party, which is in the Azimio la Umoja coalition, do its nominations and face us on the ballot.”
But the only Jubilee candidate, the incumbent Governor Joseph Ole Lenku said he should be given a direct Azimio ticket for the sake of continuity of his work as governor.
But Kajiado Central MP Elijah Kanchory said Ole Lenku’s proposal was not practical, saying the two candidates in the Azimio coalition should face each other in the nomination.
On Sunday, Nkedianye said whatever the outcome of the ODM decision on the Azimio nominations, he has a plan “B” which will take him to the ballot in this year’s general election.
“I am aware of an elaborate plan by some individuals to rig me out in the nomination by using money. I am telling them to use the money to their disadvantage because I will be in the ballot box, come rain or sunshine on August 9,” Nkedianye said.
The ODM side has been non-committal on the nomination process in Kajiado and other counties where several parties in the Azimio coalition have gubernatorial candidates.
During tour of Kajiado, ODM leader Raila Odinga steered from the contentious debate.
Ole Lenku said he will not surrender his position to any other candidate, but he will fight to defend it in the August polls.
Other than Ole Lenku and Nkedianye, UDA has three candidates who will face each other in the party nominations in April, and the winner will face whoever the Azimio coalition will have picked.
Those in UDA are MPs Peris Tobiko, Katoo ole Metito, and former NTSA boss Francis Meja.
Out of the four candidates, Ole Lenku said the only candidate who can pose a big challenge is Nkedianye.
Lenku said Nkedianye has supporters in all the five subcounties and is most likely going to use them in the coming election.
(edited by Amol Awuor)
