ODM faces fresh litmus test on internal democracy over issuance of direct nomination tickets
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is once again facing a litmus test of internal democracy after the party officials hinted to plans to issue direct tickets to aspirants in some zoned areas.
In the past, the Raila Odinga led party has been accused of authoritarianism, rigging and imposing some candidates unfairly to the disadvantage of others.
Speaking to a local TV station, ODM National Elections Board (NEB) Chairperson Catherine Mumma stated that issuance of direct tickets is allowed by the party constitution.
Mumma said it would be a waste of aspirants’ and party’s resources to conduct primaries when it is clear one aspirant is way more popular than the rest.
“We are sifting through those applications; once through, we will move to the next stage to determine who we are giving direct tickets,” said Mumma.
However, several aspirants who paid millions of shillings for ODM nominations could be locked out of the exercise as the Raila-led outfit begins to issue direct tickets to popular candidates.
She listed consensus, direct ticket, use of delegates – which was used to pick Odinga as the presidential candidate – and universal suffrage as methods for party nominations.
The party yesterday concluded receiving nomination applications before the board begins to go through them and determining areas to issue direct tickets and where to conduct nominations through the ballot.
“We will issue direct tickets in areas with only one aspirant or where the applicants agree for consensus. Or in cases where opinion polls – that we are about to open – shows one is way ahead of the rest. In this case it will be a waste of time and resources to subject them to primaries,” explained Mumma.
She said the board was yet to determine the percentage margin in the opinion polls that will guarantee a direct ticket.
She confirmed that the outfit had deployed a combination of methods in its bid to win more elective seats, including poaching popular candidates from other parties.
Mumma had earlier denied claims that the party had secretly issued nomination certificates to some of the aspirants for various elective positions ahead of the August General Election.
Party officials said ODM was concerned that some aspirants were spreading claims, either through their followers or on social media, to the effect that they had been given direct nomination by the party.
She further went on to say such reckless talk was responsible for voter apathy in the Nyanza region.
“If there is anyone here who has been given an ODM certificate, stand up and shame me and my team now. We can’t allow some leaders or aspirants to malign our office for no good reason or that of our party leader who believes in the sovereign power of the people,” she added.
