Raila Odinga’s party now wants the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to clear independent candidates before political parties can hold their nominations, a move that would bar party nomination losers from vying as independent candidates.
ODM party also wants political parties to conduct their nominations on May 9, 2022, one week after all independent candidates have been cleared to run for elective seats.
The commission requires that all independent candidates must submit their symbols or letters if they intend to vie as well as clear with the Registrar of Political parties by May 2, 2022.
Should IEBC give in to Raila’s request, it will be too hard for party nominations losers and defectors to be on the ballot as the time to clear them as independent candidates would have lapsed.
This comes at a time when ODM presidential ticket contender Jimmy Wanjigi threatened to walk out of Raila Odinga’s party should he lose the ODM nominations.
It is understood that ODM primaries which usually happen before independent candidates are cleared to run for elective seats have in the previous elections been marred with irregularities.
The move has been affecting the opposition party as losers in the party primaries race against time to register as independent candidates and run against their party, one of the factors that have denied Raila the presidency.
For instance, former KTN’s investigative journalist Mohammed Ali alias Jicho Pevu lost the ODM nominations prior to the 2017 General Election.
After losing the primaries which he alleged were marred with irregularities, Ali decided to go, independent candidate, where he vied against the ODM party.
“I know that the people of Nyali are disappointed after I unfairly lost to my ODM nominations, but I am more than ready to bring back victory in a new face. I have all it takes to win,” said Ali.
Jicho Pevu who was eying the Nyali parliamentary seat however emerged the winner beating ODM favorite.
