ODM candidates eyeing governor's seat to pay Sh1m for party ticket

CORD leader Raila Odinga campaigns for the ODM Malindi parliamentary candidate Willy Mtengo during a rally at BP station in Malindi town on Sunday. [PHOTO: MAARUFU MOHAMED/STANDARD]

Candidates seeking Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) tickets to run for governorship could be required to part with Sh1 million, up from Sh300,000 paid by aspirants in 2013.

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s party is considering increasing the nomination fees for various positions to raise more revenue to fund activities ahead of next year’s General Election and also limit the number of aspirants in the primaries.

Other parties are also expected to revise their fees as they position themselves to make a windfall from the polls, especially after a recent court ruling denied State funding to small parties, to which most aspirants run after falling out from contested primaries in main parties.

Most parties are yet to convene their national executive committees (NECs) to decide how much candidates will pay, but rates drawn from the 2013 elections show it could become costlier to secure elective seats.

Although ODM’s new nomination rules and guidelines are yet to be made public, that the suggestion to raise the fees was made by party chairman John Mbadi means it could have been discussed at high levels.

“We need money to fund nominations and therefore we should increase nomination fees for governors to up to a million shillings, MPs up to Sh300,000 and MCAs by a considerable amount too,” said Mbadi during a meeting with newly elected Kisumu West ODM branch officials.

Deputy party organising secretary Rozah Buyu, who was present, added: “We will raise the nomination fees but I am glad ODM has always been giving concessions to women, youth and persons with disabilities.”

If the party demands the new fees from aspirants for governor, it would be equivalent to what presidential aspirants paid to secure respective party tickets in the last election.

In the run-up to the 2013 General Election, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) capped the presidential nomination fees at Sh1 million per candidate while any woman, youth or persons with disability was to pay Sh500,000.

Those going for gubernatorial seats were expected to pay Sh500,000, members of the National Assembly Sh250,000 while aspirants for the county representative position were required to pay Sh50,000.

The parties also set non-refundable nomination fees for those participating in party primaries.

ODM had its presidential fee at Sh1 million, gubernatorial Sh300,000, senatorial Sh250,000, women representative Sh100,000 and Sh20,000 for members of the county assemblies.

Wiper Secretary General Senator Hassan Omar said although Wiper Party was yet to make a decision on the amount candidates would be charged, he considered his party to be the fairest of them all.

“A final decision on this matter is yet to be made, but we will make sure we give rates that make it affordable for people who want to take up party nominations. I know there are political parties whose charges are restrictive, so my view would be that people should not be blocked from exercising their democratic rights on the basis of high fees. As a party, we will make it as reasonable as possible,” said Omar.

For now, to run against Kalonzo Musyoka for the Wiper Party ticket, an aspirant must part with Sh1 million.

Wiper also set the fee for governor and senator at Sh300,000, parliamentary and woman representatives Sh200,000, while the county assembly representatives paid Sh10,000.

The United Republican Party (URP) set Sh1 million as presidential nomination fee while the running mate’s post attracted Sh500,000 fee.

Aspirants for senator and governor paid Sh200,000 while those running for parliamentary and woman representative’s positions were charged Sh100,000. County assembly representatives paid Sh50,000.

The National Alliance (TNA) charged Sh1 million for those seeking the party’s presidential ticket and Sh250,000 for gubernatorial and senatorial seats.

Those seeking to run for National Assembly seats coughed up Sh100,000 and Sh75,000 for woman representative posts.

Kenya National Congress (KNC) demands Sh500,000 for presidential, Sh100,000 for both gubernatorial and senatorial aspirants, Sh50,000 for woman representatives and Sh10,000 for MCAs.

UDF aspirants paid Sh50,000 as nomination fees for the parliamentary seats while those running for civic seats paid Sh10,000.

In Martha Karua’s Narc Kenya, the rates range from 500,000 for president, Sh250,000 for presidential running mate and Sh100,000 for governor.

But ODM is considering reviewing the nomination fees especially after grassroots party officials complained that elected leaders at the county level were not remitting monthly contributions to the party branches.

Some suggested that those elected on the party’s ticket but had defaulted in monthly party contributions should be locked out of primaries.

Mbadi said many MCAs were just sitting in the assemblies earning hundreds of thousands of shillings yet they were not supporting party activities through monthly contributions.

The ODM chair explained that party primaries needed to be funded adequately for them to be free, fair and successful.

Increasing nomination fees would also reduce the bloated lists of aspirants contesting for particular seats and leave a few strong opponents, he added.

Mbadi also stated that the party would not allow any aspirant who would have not been known to the members for at least six months.

“Next year, people will pop out of nowhere, bribe their way to the hearts of the electorate and get elected, only to ditch party activities upon election. We will not allow this come next year,” said Mbadi.

He said some people were simply in ODM because they come from Nyanza where the party is dominant but do not understand its ideals.

Mr Opiyo Wandayi, the ODM secretary for political affairs, said the nomination guidelines were yet to be made public.

“The nomination rules and guidelines will only be made public once the appropriate party organs have deliberated and approved them,” he said.

The Ugunja MP, however, stated that a member’s loyalty to the party and fidelity to its ideals and policies would be paramount in all considerations for future support.

There is no law prescribing the amount parties should charge.