President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga have hired a pollster to help them solve nomination headaches in their strongholds ahead of the party primaries slated for April.
According to ODM spokesperson Edwin Sifuna, the Azimio la Umoja will conduct an analysis that will help in deciding who will fly the coalition’s flag in the August 9, elections.
He said the coalition will not conduct nominations in areas where they know who is the strongest candidate.
“We are making it clear that it’s the science that will guide us. In many of these areas, we are going to use science to give direct tickets. We need not subject aspirants to an elective process when we know who is ahead of the others,” Sifuna said.
For instance, former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, Homa Bay Woman Rep Gladys Wanga, and ODM chairman John Mbadi have all expressed their interest in Homa Bay gubernatorial race.
Sifuna who is eying the Nairobi senate seat on Azimio la Umoja ticket further stated that the coalition will only subject hopefuls to a nomination process where the analysis will have a margin of plus or minus five.
“We shall only use the delegates and party members when it is determined that the science cannot separate them when they are maybe between plus, minus five (+/-5). In this case, we shall then deploy another method. The clear favorite will be given tickets,” he told the Daily Nation.
To ensure the Azimio la Umoja has the majority of seats in both houses, Sifuna said they will poach popular aspirants from other parties including UDA, a party heavily associated with Deputy President William Ruto.
“In instances where we find a favorite candidate belongs to a different party, we will reach out to them,
“If we find that the person leading in the opinion poll is leaning towards UDA, we shall convince them to join us. We poach them and give them an offer to be our candidate,” he said.
