Chaotic internal polls tarnish ODM image

As a party, ODM has at all times taken on Government and other institutions' for failing to deliver.

One such institution that has received the hardest blows from ODM has been the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which they have accused of mismanaging the electoral process in the last General Election.

However, the party has also had internal conflicts especially during party nominations.

The party's election board has time and again failed to produce a clear winner especially in areas where ODM has a strong following.

Not long ago, the party embarked on country wide elections of officials at the grass roots. Many cases of violence and electoral malpractice were alleged.

Many candidates cried foul.

The party suffered much damage in Homa Bay County due to its mismanaged internal polls.

Further, the Malindi nomination fiasco was not a good sign for the party. Using the same yardstick it has used to judge IEBC, so must it judge its election board.

Not long ago new leadership took over the party and they must work towards making a difference.

The team, which is youthful, must work towards giving hope to party members who have always desired to see things working differently.

Continuous bungled party nominations hurt the party and benefit opponents.

There are many lessons ODM should have learned by now. Voters' morale is crushed when they know their vote does not count.

As we head towards the 2017 General Election, adequate preparations have to be put in place for a free and fair contest.

The violence and hooliganism tag must be dropped.