•ODM appeals tribunal ruled that the lawmaker was duly nominated on April 13.
•The incumbent MP was declared the winner with 7,405 votes whereas Jalang’o garnered 6,384.
Image: FILE
ODM has sparked a storm after denying Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo the ticket to fly the party’s flag for the parliamentary race in the August 9 general election.
The party’s Central Management Committee on Sunday resolved to nullify the nominations and handed a direct ticket to Jalang'o Midiwo, a brother of Jakoyo Midiwo and cousin of ODM leader Raila Odinga.
The MP’s supporters and politicians following the events have protested the move.
The party’s governing body said there were consultations prior to the decision to hand the direct ticket to the former University of Nairobi don.
“The party primary election conducted in Gem constituency on April 13, 2022, is hereby nullified," the notice of the resolutions read.
“That the National Elections Board is hereby directed to proceed and issue a direct ticket in line with Rule 8(b) of the Party Primaries and Nomination Rules."
This was despite the ODM appeals tribunal ruling that the lawmaker was duly nominated in the universal suffrage exercise conducted by the party on April 13.
The tribunal dismissed an application by Midiwo. It was the second time the disputes team upheld the results of the primaries.
A tribunal sitting in Kisumu upheld the nomination, which Midiwo had appealed against citing violence and irregularities in the vote.
The developments have drawn anger and the party has come under sharp criticism on social media among other political circles.
"...and that is how my friend (Hon Elisha) has lost that ticket 'imiya timayi' (I get as you lose) system," a Nyanza lawmaker who asked not to be named said.
ODM did not respond to the Star when contacted for a comment on the developments. The party’s top officials said the questions should be directed to NEB chairperson Catherine Mumma.
Mumma did not respond to calls and messages from the Star enquiring about what circumstances leading to the handing of the direct ticket to Odhiambo’s rival.
In the contested primaries, the incumbent MP was declared the winner with 7,405 votes whereas Jalang’o garnered 6,384.
Odhiambo, speaking at a presser after the case, said the board lost its mandate after the matter was taken before the tribunal.
“The NEB mandate ended after the case was taken to the tribunal and decided. They have no jurisdiction after the tribunal has pronounced itself and made a decision,” the MP said.
He asked his supporters not to participate in a fresh vote and termed the calls for a repeat nomination an illegality.
Midiwo had appealed to ODM party to conduct a fresh vote claiming the exercise was marred with massive irregularities.
Gem, Alego, and Bondo were the only constituencies in Siaya where the party conducted nominations.