Raila pledges fair nominations as ODM welcomes back defectors

CORD leader Raila Odinga welcomes Migori Governor Okoth Obado back to ODM during the homecoming of Suna East MP Junet Mohamed in Migori last weekend. Obado was elected on a PDP ticket in 2013. [PHOTO: COLLINS ODUOR/STANDARD]

The crowd went silent. Raila was about to make an important declaration. Everyone wanted to hear it.

“I will not favour any one. It will be a fair contest. The people will decide who gets the party ticket,” said Raila. More ululation rents the air. Leaders seated on the dais clap and exchange glances.

The CORD co-principal surveys the crowd and continues: “We will conduct democratic and peaceful nominations to avoid any fallout because I will need the numbers right from the county assemblies to the Senate and National Assembly. In areas where there will be complaints, we will repeat the exercise until an acceptable winner is found.”

This declaration made last weekend in Migori County, has been the talk of Nyanza and other ODM strongholds.

Raila’s assurance of a level playing ground in party nominations came at a time the Orange party is battling rebellion from some key leaders, including resignation of Secretary General Ababu  Namwamba and Vice Chairman Paul Otuoma.

The former PM has repeated this statement in other functions since the Migori rally.

“He is very serious about this. He does not want anymore defections because of flawed nominations. It pains him when prominent politicians from ODM strongholds cross to other parties and get elected,” says a source close to the CORD principal.

“This is why he ordered the dissolution of the party’s electoral board after the shambolic party elections in Homa Bay earlier this year,” adds the source.

Party nomination is an emotive affair in ODM strongholds where winning the party’s ticket is as good as winning the elections. In fact, many aspirants in Nyanza invest heavily in the primaries than in the main polls. A popular joke in the region goes that those who secure ODM tickets may as well take their suits to the laundry as they await to be sworn in.

In the 2013 elections, the Orange party lost several county assembly seats, four parliamentary seats and one gubernatorial seat to candidates it had denied nomination certificates, only for them to win the elections through little known parties.

Those who ditched the party after high stakes primaries include Migori Governor Okoth Obado, who ODM claimed had lost to Akongo Oyugi. Mr Obado sought solace in Omingo Magara’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP), where he went ahead to beat Prof Oyugi.

Obado, who returned to ODM last week and was received by Raila at a public rally, said he left after he was ‘robbed off victory in broad daylight.’

Shambolic primaries

Others who sailed through on other parties include MPs Olago Aluoch (Kisumu Town West, Ford-Kenya), James Onyango Koyoo (Muhoroni, PDP), Omondi Mulwan (Alego Usonga, Wiper) and John Kobado (Awendo, PDP).

Many MCAs in various county assemblies in Nyanza sailed in through smaller parties after being locked out of ODM in what they claimed were shambolic primaries.

Similar scenarios were witnessed in Kisii and Nyamira counties.

Last week, Raila said he wants ODM to sweep all assembly, parliamentary, senatorial and gubernatorial seats in his strongholds.

“We don’t want to be threatened with the tyranny of numbers anymore. We want to turn the tables this time round. I want to have the numbers on my side,” he said.

But will the power brokers at Orange House allow Raila to implement free, fair and transparent party primaries?

Already, the ODM leader has dissolved the party’s electoral board which had been accused of letting ODM down during nominations.

ODM Chairman John Mbadi said the board will be reconstituted with party professionals. “The party will then, in consultation with the central management committee, vet nominees,” said Mbadi.

All former board members, save for chairperson Judy Pareno, were dismissed. Pareno was retained for transitional purposes.

Mr Mbadi is on record saying the party would zone Kenya during its nominations to help deliver a free and fair process.

In areas where the party has weak support, aspirants will be given direct nominations.  In strongholds such as Nyanza, Coast and Western regions, the people will be left to pick their favourite candidates without interference from the party.

Already, Raila’s declaration for free, fair and transparent ODM nominations has received backing from several party leaders.

Former Energy Minister Ochillo Ayacko lauded Raila for the bold declaration. “We are happy he has leveled the playing field. So God for us all and everyone for himself,” he said.

Mr Ayacko has expressed interest to unseat Obado from the Migori governor’s seat.

Other leaders who feared incumbents will be favoured in the nominations like David Wayiera, Ocholla Ogoda, PC Omollo, Dr Mac Obewa who are eyeing the Kisumu gubernatorial seats have welcomed the move.

Former Education Assistant Minister Ayiecho Olweny, former Migori MP Owino Likowa, Uriri parliamentary hopeful Benard Omondi, Awendo’s, Walter Owino and Migori Woman Representative hopeful Fatuma Mohammed have asked the party to let popular will reign in 2017.

“If ODM handles the nominations in a democratic and fair manner, then it will fortify its unity,” Omondi argued.