The ODM party will use delegates and direct nominations to pick candidates for various seats in the 2022 General Election.
Deputy party leader Wycliffe Oparanya said that ODM will handpick popular candidates for MCA, MP, senator and governor positions in some areas while others will be chosen by delegates.
"The party has agreed to change the system of conducting primaries. We will not subject all aspirants to nominations," Oparanya said.
"We are strengthening our electoral systems to ensure that we hold free, democratic and accountable primaries devoid of fallout," he said.
Oparanya spoke when he hosted 10 MCAs from Bungoma and party aspirants for various seats from West Pokot counties separately at Kakamega Golf Hotel on Monday.
He said the party is putting proper mechanisms in place to ensure the new system works well for all aspirants and ODM as a party countrywide.
The Kakamega governor said that the move is meant to cushion candidates from too many expenses during nominations so as to be financially stable to face off opponents in the main race which is important to the party.
"The new system will cut down high costs incurred by aspirants during nominations. We want to save them from such expenses through a cheap nomination exercise," he said.
ODM has been using party members to choose candidates for elections. The process has always been shambolic and has, in the past, cost the party seats it could have won.
The changes in the electoral process are informed by the fact that the party lost many seats in the last general elections because of flawed nominations that locked out popular candidates.
Some of the dissatisfied aspirants later defected to other parties and won seats against their ODM rivals.
He said that he will take it upon himself to ensure the party elections board chaired by Catherine Muma conducts credible nominations.
Oparanya added that ODM has stepped up campaigns to reenergise itself ahead of the August 9, 2022 polls.
He assured the aspirants from West Pokot of the party's support as they mobilise votes for former Prime Minister Raila.
Raila is preparing for his fifth stab at the presidency and perhaps his final attempt. He has been holding rallies and consultative forums across the country for his Azimio la Umoja campaigns.
Although he has not officially declared he will run in 2022, all indications are that he will be on the ballot in the contest that is shaping up into a two-horse race between him and Deputy President William Ruto.
Oparanya said that Raila will take his campaigns to West Pokot county next month.
He said that the One Kenya Alliance will not have any political impact in the general election.
Oparanya said the Western region was critical in Raila’s presidential bid and expressed optimism that the region will rise to the occasion.
