The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) came under criticism over last-minute cancellation of the eagerly awaited party nominations in Kisumu and Siaya.
Anger and confusion reigned in the two counties, after the party’s National Elections Board cancelled the nomination exercises.
The Kisumu nominations were cancelled late on Sunday night while the decision to stop the Siaya primaries were announced only yesterday morning after some voters had arrived at the polling stations.
There were conflicting reasons why the nominations were postponed to today, with some of the officials citing poor preparations while the elections board cited poor security. The two primaries are set for today.
Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma, Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo who s seeking to unseat Siaya Governor Cornell Rasanga, Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo and his Bondo counterpart Gideon Ochanda described the postponement of the primaries as “shameful, disturbing and suspect”.
Ranguma said the decision to postpone the Kisumu nominations was meant to create room for irregularities.
“Why do they communicate the postponement of such an important exercise at night, less than a few hours to election day. Why have some aspirants been given the leeway to intimidate the elections' board and dictate terms?” protested Ranguma during a talk show on a local vernacular radio station.
He accused Nyando MP Fred Outa, who is campaigning to be senator and is supporting Prof Peter Anyang' Nyong’o for governorship, of being behind the problems facing the ODM nominations preparations in the county.
“Somebody seated somewhere is trying to micro-manage Siaya politics. This is an exercise in futility,” said Gumbo.
[Harold Odhiambo, Kevion Omolo, Olivia Odhiambo and Isaih Gwengi]
