• ODM will conduct primaries on Saturday
• Party to vet hopefuls before the nomination
The fear of losing Kibra seat in the wake of stiff competition from rival parties has forced ODM to rule out a direct nomination.
The party plans to field a candidate who will be in a position to floor rivals during the upcoming by-election. And past mistakes must be avoided.
The seat fell vacant following the death of MP Ken Okoth (ODM) on July 26. He succumbed to cancer.
On Sunday, party leader Raila Odinga announced that ODM will conduct primaries on Saturday to choose the person to fly its flag in the November 7 poll.
He paraded 24 hopefuls who will battle it out for the ticket. They attended a rally in Kamukunji grounds, Kibera.
The scramble for the ticket has been fuelled by the party’s popularity in the constituency where Raila enjoys fanatical support. That notwithstanding, other parties are out to wrest the seat from the Orange outfit.
Reports indicate that President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party is not keen to field a candidate, but insiders intimate that DP William Ruto is pushing to have the party take part in the poll. Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC party is among those planning to field a candidate.
Former Raila’s aide Eliud Owallo has already decamped to ANC in readiness for the contest. Sibling rivalry within NASA will once again play out as was the case in Embakasi South, where Wiper candidate emerged tops.
And to forestall a revolt that could work in its rivals’ favour, ODM has promised a free and fair primary.
“You will peacefully walk to the ballot and vote in whoever you want. If the people are done with the voting, it is counted and then the results are announced there and then,” Raila said.
He sought to assure the aspirants of the highest possible credibility. Raila made the announcement amid revelation the party chose the route of the popular vote to avoid a falling-out that could cost it the seat, barely seven months after it was left heavily bruised in the Ugenya and Embakasi South polls.
The party, according to an insider, is not ready for another humiliation. Both Embakasi South and Ugenya were its perceived strongholds and the defeats in the April by-elections must have been a wake-up call.
Direct nomination does not resonate with the electorate all the time, the party must have learnt. It is believed that a non-ODM candidate could pull a shocker if the party handpicks a candidate or messes up the primaries.
On Sunday, Raila said ODM will submit its nominee to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission by September 3.
On Tuesday, the party will subject the aspirants to a vetting process that will see non-loyal aspirants weeded out.
ODM’s National Elections Board will look at their details, including when they joined the party before they can be allowed to participate in the nominations.
During yesterday’s rally, the aspirants shared their manifestos, some promising to take their cues from Okoth, whose development record has been praised.
Some hopefuls, however, found the going tough. Former Embakasi South MP Irshad Sumra, who was eyeing the seat, was forced to withdraw from the race at the podium following a hostile reception by the crowd.
Makadara MP George Aladwa cooled down the charged crowd, telling residents Sumra had pulled out of the race.
Bernard Imran, the brother of the late MP, also found himself at crosshairs with the crowd over the contentious cremation of Okoth’s remains. He explained to the crowd that he was not to blame, pleading that it was not his wish but that of the late MP.
Imran promised to continue with his brother’s agenda in supporting the education of children in the informal settlement.
Other aspirants unveiled at the event were Joshua Orero, Sigar Agumba, Moraa, Eng Ochieng Jera, DJ Chris Darlin, Obarics Ochieng, Kenyanito Dudi, Melvin, ODM youth leader Benson Musungu, Steve Oguwa and Brian Owino.
Also interested in the ODM ticket are Gore Mohammed, Toi Ogola, John Otieno Mila, Lumumba Owade, Robinson Odhiambo, Ojijo Obama and Ngesa Mbarare.
(Edited by F'Orieny)