ODM To Pick Candidates Through Consensus, Ballot A Measure Of Last Resort: Sifuna

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The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party has already commenced party primaries to avoid last minute pressure that might conflict with Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission April 22 deadline.

During a consultative meeting with ODM county chairpersons on Thursday, the party’s Secretary General Edwin Sifuna revealed that ODM nominations were underway across the 47 counties with the aim of nominating candidates through consensus.

“Some of the Chairpersons are already leading consensus in their regions. These leaders are aware of what candidates are viable in specific areas. In Narok East constituency we had 12 and now they are down to three. Party nominations in ODM are ongoing,” said Sifuna.

The Raila Odinga-led party alluded that secret ballot might be the last nomination option for them while trying to arrive to candidates who will fly the flag of the political outfit in the different elective seats.

Sifuna said the party will use opinion polls to identify strong candidates with secret ballot and party primaries being used as a last resort mechanism where dialogue fails.

The methods will be applied for aspirants seeking to be Members of the County Assembly (MCA), Members of the National Assembly, Members of the Senate and Governors.

“Opinion polls all over the years has been one of the ways in gauging popularity and it will be there among other factors. Opinion poll to test the strength of candidates will not be something new,”Abdulahi Guliye, the National Election Board Secretary stated.

Party primaries in the country have been characterized by chaos and fallouts every electioneering period.

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Sifuna mentioned that in areas where opinion polls show two aspirants have a small gap between them then the party will determine who attains the ticket through a delegates system.

“In Nairobi for instance, I am running to become the senator. If the poll shows am above 70 percent in popularity, I will get the ticket. If we are almost tieing we can reach consensus and when that fails, we will move to the election by delegates or universal suffrage,” he said.

Apart from the ODM nomination headache, Odinga is facing a tougher test to ensure that in region where Azimio la Umoja Movement will field candidates they will be no fallouts.

Adressing the matter on Wednesday, Odinga said the Azimio la Umoja Movement will use joint nominations and in some positions consensus to pick candidates following what he termed as a rigorous political zoning process.

“In the case of Jubilee-ODM pact we will agree on how we will conduct nominations. In some regions the seats will be left to ODM party alone and vice versa. In other areas we will have joint nominations so as to get a suitable candidate,” he said.

With different regional parties showing interest to join the Azimio la Umoja Movement, a tussle is expected when it comes to party primaries under the political formation which could be designated as a party if amendments to the Political Parties Act became law.

Recent pre-election pacts between political parties have resulted in negotiations to divide the country into zones where only some parties would field candidates.

Odinga reiterated that losers in different elective posts under the Azimio la Umoja Movement will be offered positions in government both at the national and county level.

“They will be opportunity for everybody. We must have a win-win situation. So if you are no elected as MP or Governor they will be a position for you moving forward. Let’s remain in the movement,” said Odinga.