- Kenani is scrambling for the ticket with Nyamaratandi Bichage, a long time party loyalist.
- Most protesters say the party would lose big if it continues to dish out nominations.
Image: MAGATI OBEBO
A political storm is brewing in Kisii after ODM MP aspirants said there is a 'lack of proper ground rules for consensus.'
They further argued against the use of 'skewed opinion polls' by the party to pick aspirants.
Nyaribari Chache has experienced a string of protests by pro ODM youth supporting of James Kenani who said he has already read malice in the nominations.
Kenani is scrambling for the ticket with Nyamaratandi Bichage, a long time party loyalist.
None of them had received a ticket by Sunday though word had it that Bichage may be gifted for his loyalty.
On Friday and Saturday, hundreds of Kenani supporters took to the streets to protest the continued delay to give him the ticket.
They claimed Kenani is more popular than Bichage and should be given the ticket.
Kenani is said to have garnered 44 per cent against Bichage's less than 10 per cent in the popularity poll.
The youths said Kenani had solely taken into his hands the responsibility to market ODM as ' Bichage slept.'
"The party had been in a coma because the person they had thought would help market it was doing his own business," Calvin Ombasa, a youth said.
There were similar protests on Thursday in Nyamira where governor hopeful James Kemoni protested that ODM plans to give party Treasurer Timothy Bosire a direct ticket.
"We have definitely done much for the party as well,"Kemoni said on phone.
In Kisii, there were spontaneous protests in Kiogoro, Nyacheki and Itumbe against the Orange party.
Most protesters say the party would lose big if it continues to dish out nominations.
"It will reap whirlwinds because these aspirants being mistreated are the one we are going to vote for," Ombasa said.
Kenani said ODM appear to have resolved to dish tickets on the premise of how long the aspirant had been in the party.
"Some of us came in late but we have done so much and it is good the party leadership should acknowledge us too," he said.
"If I had led in the opinion polls then I have every right to ask for my ticket and if they don't want tell us early so that we can make informed choices on the way forward."
Kenani's nemesis, Bichage unsuccessfully battled for the constituency's parliamentary seat on ODM ticket three times.
Bichage has since denied the claims that the party may favour him saying he was equally anxious for the ticket just like like his competitor.
"I am in Nairobi and equally distraught for the ticket like him," he told the Star by phone.
"I haven't seen a ticket yet. I am just on the bench," he said.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)