ODM leader Raila Amolo Odinga is facing sleepless nights as his party is facing internal wrangles over nominations scheduled in April.
The Orange party’s National Executive Council adopted four methods of selecting aspirants on Thursday, which were also endorsed by the National Delegates Congress.
The NDC accepted the use of consensus, direct nomination, delegate voting, and universal suffrage in order for ODM members to vote for their favorite candidate.
However, the ODM NEC stated they prefer agreement over direct nomination as a last resort.
The ODM nomination rift was clear during a recent trip of western Kenya by several Azimio la Umoja leaders, when Governors Oparanya (Kakamega), Sospeter Ojaamong (Busia), and Wilbur Otichilo (Vihiga), as well as several MPs, boycotted the campaigns headed by Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho and Suna East MP Junet Mohammed.
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The Western ODM governors were dissatisfied with some members’ prominent roles and the exclusion of others. When asked why he was absent from the rally, Oparanya stated that he was too busy.
The ODM nomination wrangles are expected to give Raila Odinga a headache in the coming weeks. The opposition party will have a hard time choosing their candidates, especially in Busia, Siaya, Kisumu, Kisii, Homa Bay, and Mombasa.
In Homa Bay, the battle to succeed Cyprian Awiti has drawn the attention of ODM chair John Mbadi, Woman Representative Gladys Wanga, former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, and Deputy Governor Hamilton Orata.
Consensus or direct nomination may have unintended consequences in high-stakes races such as the Mombasa governorship.