Raila Odinga has warned ODM's National Elections Board against taking bribes from politicians seeking to vie in the 2017 poll on its ticket.
The Cord leader told the board led by Judy Pareno that he will not entertain irregularities in the issuance of party nomination certificates ahead of the general election.
"Jakom was very clear that NEB members must pull up their socks and deliver nothing short of expectations," said a senior NEC member who attended the four-hour meeting at Orange House in Nairobi.
"He dressed them down and warned them against engaging in corruption by dishing out tickets to losers instead of winners."
Members of the board are Peter Odoyo, Nancy Abisai and Peter Mulu.
The source said Raila underlined that he expects free, fair and transparent primaries to redeem the party's tainted image.
"The party leader was categorical that this time round he will not sit and watch. People must definitely account for their actions and decisions," he said.
NEB's credibility and the conduct of its top members have been questioned after Pareno and her team were accused of favouritism in the recently concluded grassroots elections.
The source said Raila told the National Executive Council meeting that during the 2012 primaries, there were some instances where nomination certificates were dished out at petrol stations and restaurants.
"This must stop now, not later. We must learn to follow due process in the nomination because it sets the tempo for a general election," Raila was reported as saying.
ODM secretary general Ababu Namwamba said the NEC instructed the NEB to begin preparing to nominate candidates for various positions in the next general election.
"The party has no favoured candidate for any position. We assure all our potential aspirants that the primaries across the board will be credible, free and fair," he said after the meeting.
Those who attended the meeting include John Mbadi (chairman), Timothy Bosire (treasurer), Abdikadir Aden (organising secretary) and Opiyo Wandayi (secretary for parliamentary affairs).
In the run-up to the 2013 poll, ODM faced massive nomination blunders that bungled the process of picking flagbearers for various seats, mostly in its strongholds, to the advantage of rival parties.
The botched primaries saw the Orange party lose its strongest candidates to rival parties and win subsequent elections.
A post-election audit painted a gloomy picture of the management of the party's primaries and attributed its poor show to chaotic nominations.
New ODM nomination rules require the NEB to conduct primaries at least six months to the general election to allow sufficient time for resolving disputes.
