- ODM is supposed to elect office-bearers by April.
- Two camps have emerged, one favouring grassroots elections and the other backing handpicking of officials.
Image: HANDOUT
ODM leader Raila Odinga is faced with another headache in his party as opinion is divided on how to pick officials.
The Star has established that the party is sharply divided on whether to hold elections or hand-pick office-bearers ahead of next year's general election.
The polls would cost Sh220 million, according to a budget presented to the party's secretariat by National Elections Board chairperson Catherine Mumma.
ODM, like all other local political parties, have been accused of not conducting elections. The last time the Orange outfit tried to hold polls it ended in chaos after the infamous 'Men in Black' stormed Kasarani Gymnasium and destroyed election materials.
Already, the party leadership is reading from different scripts, with one group said to be pushing for grassroots elections, while the other is against a rigorous exercise that might be counterproductive.
The anti-grassroots polls crusade is led by the county chairmen's forum, which says the exercise, besides being unnecessarily expensive, will lead to divisions.
The forum, through its chairman George Aladwa (Nairobi), has sustained the push despite NEC’s resolution in February that grassroots elections be held from the polling station to the national level. Raila chaired the NEC meeting in Nairobi.
The move to hold nationwide grassroots elections was part of ODM's wider strategy to strengthen and rejuvenate its grassroots networks.
Early this month, Makadara MP Aladwa, told off those pushing for grassroots elections, insisting that the harmonisation they are fronting as county chairmen has the blessings of party leader Raila. He spoke during a rally in Kibera’s Kamkunji Grounds. Raila has not backed the call.
Aladwa alleged schemes by party rivals to infiltrate the outfit through the planned elections, cause chaos and malign the party.
“Elections for ODM, we have agreed, will not take place. We shall have harmonisation because of the BBI, some rogue people will infiltrate our elections and destroy it and say ODM is a party that loves chaos,” Aladwa said in Kibera.
On Monday, he maintained that the majority of the party members are for harmonisation, citing a crowded party calendar that includes the BBI referendum.
“We are going for harmonisation; our feeling as members is that we do harmonisation because our hands are already full. It will be chaotic if we go any other way,” Aladwa said.
“Even the county chairmen—which I chair—are for harmonisation. We are only waiting for NEB to give us direction. Whichever way they (NEB) decide we shall abide by, but the feeling of many members is harmonisation.”
But ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna dismissed the push to handpick officials, saying the party will abide by the NEC resolution.
“The standing resolution of NEC is that we hold grassroots elections,” Sifuna said.
In February, NEB announced the countrywide exercise was to start this month and run up next month when delegates will converge in Nairobi to elect the national office, including the party's presidential candidate.