ODM legislator proposes radical changes to party nomination laws

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) director of political affairs Opiyo Wandayi has proposed changes in the party's election laws to scrap party primaries for gubernatorial positions.

Wandayi instead wants the party to vet and directly pick the candidates, saying the position is managerial and not political.

He said he will give the party central committee and national executive committee his recommendation.

Wandayi also noted there was need to come up with rules, laws and agreements to ensure the people elect governors with managerial and leadership skills.

Speaking in Rangala catholic church, Ugunja sub county, he claimed that during the vetting process the aspirants should be subjected to an interview through a panel that will be chaired by the party leader.

“The counties are not very many especially those we have supporters. So that the panel chaired by the party leader, can interrogate the aspirants to present their curriculum vitae (CV) and the plans they have for counties. After the panel is done, the party will then present its candidates in each of its counties as a party candidate,” he proposed.

Wandayi also noted that those who will be left out by the vetting panel, if loyal members to the ODM will support the party candidate.

The PAC chairman argued that the vetting panel should be in a place a year before elections to identify candidates in the ODM strongholds.

“Those who do not succeed can vie for other seats but the party’s candidate will face their competitors from other party’s to avoid these constant wrangles, that lead to misuse of resource, personal disagreements and even death,” he added.

Wandayi further said that county governments are instruments of implementing development programs within the devolution system and should not be transformed to avenues or platforms of unnecessary wars that will make them not grow.

He added that it was basically to help the counties with ODM governors to use the top seat as an avenue or instruments to development.

“We have had serious issues and disagreements within the party when people struggle for this one seat especially during nominations for the governor’s seat, such that people even fight each other in the process," he said.

He added: "People use a lot of money in the process and even divide electorates and yet after nominations when the party settles on a candidate they still have to compete with their counterparts where IEBC comes in making it a second competition where they use lots funds and resources, so it’s like you are competing twice, which is a waste of time to the people as well.”

He said all these competitions in return create animosity between the electorates themselves as well as the aspirants.