Presidential hopeful Raila Odinga has promised goodies to all losers in the upcoming ODM nominations.
The ODM leader allayed fears that the party could favor some of the loyalists in the forthcoming party primaries that have threatened to tear its unity.
“ODM is a party of democracy. We will not forsake those who will have lost the nomination. All those who will lose will be considered in other engagements,” Raila Odinga said.
Raila who was speaking during his final tour of the Coastal region said that was the only solution to end the vice where those who lose in party primaries decide to go for it as independent candidates.
The opposition leader said forsaking primaries losers will negatively deny him the required number of votes that would send him to the State House as witnessed in the 2013 and 2017 elections.
“Remember when you oppose your rival, your fellow contestant after losing the nomination, you are rivaling the ODM party since they, too, have ODM votes,” the former Prime Minister said.
Earlier on, the former Lang’ata Member of Parliament welcomed the consensus method as a way to avert nominations disputes in the ODM party ahead of the 2022 General Election.
Raila encouraged dialogue among contestants to settle on the person who will fly the party ticket through the consensus method across the country.
Speaking in Kibra on Wednesday, November 17, Raila said the consensus method will be applied first, followed by two other methods.
“The first one will be consensus, while the delegates system will be the second option. The third option will be the use of party members with membership cards and not just IDs,” he said.
Raila’s sentiments come just days after ODM presidential contender Jimmy Wanjigi protested the consensus method insisting that the party should guarantee free and fair party nominations.
“And we are saying this; let them not spoil this party that has been there for 16 years adhering to nothing else but democracy,
“This party (ODM) does not belong to individuals or communities, it belongs to everybody,” Wanjigi said.
