The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party has announced its intention to participate in all upcoming by-elections across the country.
Speaking to the press Tuesday after a Central Committee meeting held in Nairobi, ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna confirmed that the party will field candidates in every contest.
The meeting was chaired by the party leader Raila Odinga.
“We have been presented with a schedule of all upcoming by-elections, and the resolution of this committee is that ODM will fully participate in all of them,” Sifuna said.
The party's decision now puts to rest speculation over whether ODM would collaborate with other parties in fielding candidates for the upcoming by-elections.
Sifuna also affirmed that the party will continue with its grassroots elections and the "ODM at 20" celebrations.
According to Sifuna, these efforts are part of the broader strategy to rejuvenate, reorganise, and strengthen the party from within.
There are a total of 23 pending by-elections for various seats that the newly constituted electoral commission-IEBC- is preparing to conduct.
Commission’s chairperson Erastus Ethekon announced last week that the commission has officially begun preparations for the pending by-elections across the country.
Ethekon said the commission is currently updating the voter register to ensure readiness ahead of the mini-polls.
The vacant seats include one senatorial, six parliamentary, and 16 ward representative positions.
“This is a priority matter. As you have noticed, more than two years have already passed. Constituencies like Banisa in the Northeast have gone almost three years without a Member of Parliament,” he stated.
Banisa seat fell vacant following the death of Kullow Hassan Aden in March 2023 in a hit‑and‑run road accident in Nairobi.
Other vacant MP seats include Malava held by the late Malulu Injendi, who died after an illness, Magarini, which was declared vacant after the Supreme Court nullified the election of Harrison Kombe and that of Kasipul of Charles Were who was assassinated on May 1, 2025.
Ugunja and Mbeere North, occasioned by the appointment of Opiyo Wandayi and Geoffrey Ruku, respectively, to the Cabinet, are also among them.
