- Says ODM leadership will have themselves to blame if the party disintegrates
- Wanjigi has declared he will take on ODM boss Raila Odinga for the party's presidential ticket.
Image: BRIAN OTIENO
ODM presidential aspirant Jimi Wanjigi has criticised Deputy Party leader Wycliffe Oparanya over claims the orange party will use delegates and direct nomination to pick candidates for the 2022 general election.
Wanjigi warned that the party risks being torn apart if it chooses to use the direct nomination to pick candidates.
“ODM is my party and I love it but I am beginning to see some very undemocratic and very interesting trends. If you cannot be democratic at the MCA level, it will be the same at the presidential level,” Wanjigi said.
Wanjigi has declared he will take on ODM boss Raila Odinga for the party's presidential ticket.
He spoke on Tuesday at Sports View Hotel when he hosted students from Kenyatta University.
Wanjigi said ODM should entrench its democratic principles.
“How would a whole deputy party leader tell us they will use direct nominations to pick candidates. We will not know whether the people they will pick are their relatives,” he added.
He said ODM leadership will have themselves to blame if the party disintegrates because of direct nominations.
On October 26, Oparanya said ODM will handpick popular candidates for MCA, senator, MP and governor positions in some areas while others will be chosen by delegates.
He said the move will cushion candidates from too many expenses during nominations to be financially stable to face off opponents in the main race.
“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.”
Oparanya spoke when he hosted 10 MCAs from Bungoma and party aspirants for various seats from West Pokot separately at Kakamega Golf Hotel.
Wanjigi reiterated that direct nominations would be detrimental to the party.
He further appealed to the youth to carefully interrogate leaders who are seeking their support.
“How can people tell you that they will clear the country's debt in two years. It is not possible. Ask them how they intend to do it. The debt problem is so deep,” Wanjigi said.
“Interrogate people who are coming to you for votes. Some of them have never bothered about your economic well-being and now they are telling you they have solutions.”
Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka stirred a storm when he said Kenya will clear all its debts within two years should the One Kenya Alliance clinch the country’s presidency.
Speaking on Sunday in Thika, Kalonzo said the country is full of minerals that have not been exploited.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris