Seven ODM governors now get direct tickets

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has gifted seven of its 17 governors with direct tickets.

Four sitting MPs have also been cleared to defend their seats on the party’s ticket as they were unopposed.

The party has invited those who have no challengers to collect the party’s nomination certificate today.

Governors Hassan Joho (Mombasa), Evans Kidero (Nairobi), Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega), Josephat Nanok (Turkana), James Ongwae (Kisii), Ahmed Abdullahi (Wajir), and Amason Kingi (Kilifi) have escaped the nomination hurdle.

This means they have more time to fine-tune their campaign engines as they prepare to face off with their rivals from other parties on August 8.

At the same time, Gladys Wanga has been given a free pass to try for the next Parliament after ODM, which is popular in Homa Bay, declared her the only contestant for the seat of woman representative on the party’s ticket.

MPs Timothy Bosire (Kitutu Masaba), Abdikadir Aden (Balambala), Elijah Memusi (Kajiado Central), and Ms Wanga secured the ODM ticket because there were no challengers.

Sources within the Orange party further told The Standard that former Emuhaya MP Wilber Otichilo has also been cleared to run for the Vihiga gubernatorial seat.

The ODM National Elections Board yesterday sent short messages to the leaders, inviting them to receive their certificates at a function to be held at Bomas of Kenya.

“The National Elections Board has cleared you as an unopposed candidate to vie in the August 2017 General Election. Consequently, you are hereby invited to receive your nomination certificate on April 3, 2017,” reads the text sent by NEB chairperson Judith Pareno.

Several aspirants have also been tipped for direct tickets among them former Cabinet Minister Sam Ongeri, who resigned from his UN Habitat ambassadorial job to run for the Kisii Senate seat.

The party also cleared Gabriel Bukachi Chapia to run for the Senate in Nairobi. ODM further cleared candidates for various seats in Lamu, Isiolo, Tharaka Nithi, and Uasin Gishu. This means that Dr Kidero will now wait for the Jubilee Party to pick its candidate to square it out for the city’s top seat.

In Jubilee, Senator Mike Sonko, former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth, former assistant minister Margaret Wanjiru, and Dagoretti South MP Dennis Waweru are battling for the party ticket. Others in the race are businesswoman Esther Passaris and Miguna Miguna.

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