2007 Elections

ODM-K moves to stem fallout

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Published on Tuesday, 20 November 2007 21:13

ODM Kenya on Sunday moved to stem a fallout by promising to nominate some candidates to Parliament. Presidential candidate Kalonzo Musyoka announced the party’s registered chairman Daniel Maanzo will be the first beneficiary after he agreed to step down for former provincial commissioner Peter Kiilu for the Makueni seat.

At the same time, summit member Anthony Kibagendi surrendered his ODM-K certificate to Richard Onyonka who will now contest in Kitutu Chache on the party’s ticket. Mr Kibagendi will however contest the same seat on Vijana Progressive Party, a partner in ODM-K.

Mr Elijah Bor also stepped aside in favour of former minister John Koech who moved to the party after losing in the ODM nominations. Mr Musyoka said ODM-K had to make difficult decisions following the strict deadlines set by the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) in areas where the nomination exercise did not go according to plan.

He called on the ECK to be flexible following the tight schedule as well as the adverse weather which affected logistics for the primaries. However, ODM-K threatened to sue ECK if it rejects any of its candidates. Party secretary-general Mutula Kilonzo said the ECK should be flexible and accept the list of candidates given by the parties. He defended the parties saying they were unable to conduct the exercise in some areas following circumstance beyond their control which they should not be punished for.

He singled out Kathiani constituency saying ODM-K was unable to conduct the exercise following heavy rains that pounded the area on the eve of the nomination exercise. “The ECK rules are not cast in stone so political parties must not be punished for acts of God like rains that made it difficult to deliver the elections materials,” Mr Kilonzo said yesterday during a press conference at the Serena Hotel.

He defended the stretching of the nominations to the last day given by the ECK saying parties could only conduct the exercise in schools and opted to wait until the end of national examinations.
He said the list of ODM-K candidates was ready and would be presented to ECK as stipulated. Mr Kilonzo called on those dissatisfied with the results to forward their complaints to the appeals board which he promised would handle such cases expeditiously.

During the press conference, the party received Godana Jarsa (Isiolo North), Richard Onyonka (Kitutu Chache) and Stanley Koinet (Narok South).
The party chairman, Mr Samuel Poghisio, announced that outgoing Eldoret East MP Joseph Langat and former Butere MP Dr Amukowa Anangwe would also be contesting the elections on the party ticket.