- Confusion, tension and anxiety have gripped ODM aspirants for various seats ahead of the grueling party primaries in Nairobi on Thursday.
- The party’s national elections board is scheduled to conduct the exercise across the city on the last day of its scattered nominations countrywide.
Image: COURTESY
Confusion, tension and anxiety has gripped ODM aspirants for various seats ahead of the party primaries in Nairobi on Thursday.
The party’s National Elections Board is scheduled to conduct the exercise across the city on the last day of its scattered nominations countrywide.
Sources within the NEB on Tuesday indicated all was set for the exercise, which will see various hopefuls battle it out for MP, woman rep and MCA positions.
There will, however, be no nominations for governor and senator slots.
Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi is the only aspirant who has declared interest to run on the party ticket for the governor seat.
Wanyonyi on Tuesday said parties within the Azimio coalition were holding consultations to field one candidate for the position to face Senator Johnson Sakaja of Deputy President William Ruto’s UDA.
For the Senate, the Star established the party has opted to issue a direct ticket to secretary general Edwin Sifuna.
Sifuna will face UDA’s Margaret Wanjiru and Jubilee’s Maina Kamanda.
However, fierce battle is expected in the woman rep and MP positions.
For the woman representative, the race will be between incumbent Esther Passaris, nominated Senator Beatrice Kwamboka and politician Anita Nanjala.
Kwamboka told the Star the party has not informed them on the mode of nominations it is going to employ with only a day to the exercise.
“We still do not know the method the party is going to use but we are loyal members and we will accept any. If they say it is universal suffrage, I am ready,” Kwamboka said.
On Monday, Passaris disputed reports she had stepped down in favour of Nanjala in the nominations.
“Nothing could be further from the truth. Serving the people of Nairobi as their Woman Rep has been a great honour, and I intend to continue this noble journey,” she said.
The winner in the polls will face UDA’s Millicent Omanga and Jubilee’s Wangui Ng’ang’a among other candidates.
For the MP position, fierce battles are expected in Westlands, Ruaraka, Embakasi East, Kibera, Lang'ata, Makadara and Embakasi South.
In Westlands, former Nairobi Town clerk Philip Khisia faces former area MP Fred Gumo’s son, Mike, and politician Joel Nyongesa.
Khisia on Tuesday said they have finished their campaigns and were waiting for the NEB to conduct free and fair primaries.
“We have done our part and I expect the party to do its part and be impartial in the process. So far, we can’t say the party has done anything that is favouring anyone,” he said.
In Embakasi East, incumbent MP Babu Owino faces long-serving MCA Michael Ogada in the contest to fly the party flag.
“What the party should not do is to issue a direct ticket to anyone. Because if it does so, then they will be calling for voter apathy,” Ogada warned.
Owino has been close to party leader Raila Odinga and has been part of his national campaigns, triggering concerns he could be rewarded with a direct ticket.
In Ruaraka, incumbent TJ Kajwang will face various contestants, among them Mathare North MCA Jared Okode.
The constituency is considered an ODM stronghold and, therefore, whoever wins the party ticket will be as good as elected.
In Makadara, MP George Aladwa faces his fiercest rival and former MP Reuben Ndolo.
Aladwa is the ODM chairman in Nairobi and is considered a close ally of , Raila.
In Embakasi South, former MP Irshad Sumra and politician Eric Janganya will battle for the ticket to set a date with incumbent Julius Mawathe in the August 9 general election.
-Edited by SKanyara