Laban Walloga | Nation Prime Minister Raila Odinga confers with Tourism minister Dan Mwazo at the Voi Safari Lodge on November 23, 2012. The PM said there would be no favouritism in party nominations.
By JONATHAN MANYINDO Jmanyindo@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Saturday, November 24 2012 at 22:00
Posted Saturday, November 24 2012 at 22:00
IN SUMMARY
- Prime Minister vows to ensure a clean, transparent drive
Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Saturday warned aspirants seeking the Orange Democratic party ticket that there would be no sacred cows during the nominations.
Promising a clean and transparent nominations drive, the PM, who is the ODM party leader, said he would not favour anyone.
He said in the last General Election ODM lost 60 seats because of a flawed nomination process and he would not allow the same to happen this time.
“Our policy is clear: that we do not have any favourite candidate, but will get him or her from the people through a competitive nomination process,” he said in Voi town.
None will be exempt
He said a new elections board was formed to ensure that the rules and regulations deposited with the registrar of political parties would be adhered to and no one would be exempted.
ODM, he said, was a national party that does not need any coalition to win the election.
ODM chairman Henry Kosgey, who was in the PM’s entourage, dismissed the coalitions being formed by their opponents saying they were tribal and would not go far.
Mr Odinga had toured Voi to reconcile two rival ODM groups that have been fighting since the party’s elections a year ago.
On Saturday, the factions came together for the second time before the PM to be reconciled before the nominations begin.
Their wrangles have delayed the formation of the Raila presidential campaign committee in the county as it has not been clear who should lead the campaign.
Trouble started in November last year when the party’s elections held in Mwatate that saw a group allied to Tourism minister Dan Mwazo elected.
The disgruntled group led by former Voi mayor Hope Mwakio went on the offensive and began an aggressive fight that has led to the delayed formation of Prime Minister’s election campaign team in the area.
The Mwakio group was perpetrating falsehoods that the ODM national office would give direct nominations to certain “connected” candidates.
At Saturday’s meeting, Ms Mwakio said she was never promised direct nomination for the women representative position.
“I am more than willing to be disqualified if the election rules will be flawed in my favour and I will accept it,” she said.
Suspicion heightened when Ms Mwakio was appointed to the National Women Democratic League as organising secretary without being endorsed from the grassroots as required by the election rules.
The PM was also accompanied by Ministers Prof Anyang Nyong’o, Dan Mwazo, assistant minister Calist Mwatela and Wundanyi MP Thomas Mwadeghu.
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