Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party will Sunday introduce all its aspirants for the Kibra parliamentary seat, as the Opposition leader Raila Odinga-led party explores mechanisms of picking a candidate.
Raila, through his spokesperson Dennis Onyango, in a statement sent to newsrooms Friday, also asked party supporters and voters to show up to a rally at the Kamukunji grounds in Kibra where the aspirants seeking to replace the late Ken Okoth will be introduced.
“At the rally, the Party Leader will introduce to the constituency all those who have applied for the ODM ticket to replace the late Hon Ken Okoth as Member of Parliament,” reads the statement in part, which came shortly before the deadline for the submission of the applications.
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The seat fell vacant following the death of Okoth through cancer, and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has already gazetted November 7 as the by-election day.
During the Sunday rally, the aspirants, according to Onyango, will be given a chance to articulate their agenda for the constituency, and according to sources, it will play a key role in helping ODM pick the right candidate.
At least 20 people are said to have already expressed interest in the seat on an ODM ticket, among them party secretary-general Edwin Sifuna, the late MP’s brother Imran Okoth and former Raila’s presidential campaign manager Eliud Owalo.
Former Embakasi South MP Irshad Sumra, who lost both in the main election and April by-election to Wiper candidate Julius Mawathe, former nominated Senator Elizabeth Ongoro and ODM youth leader Benson Musungu are also said to be eyeing the seat.
Already, ODM leaders in the constituency, led by branch chairman Jeckonia Onyango, have cautioned the party against issuing a direct ticket, urging the party’s National Elections Board ,which is chaired by Senator Judith Pareno (nominated), to conduct free and fair nominations.
Though Jubilee Party, through Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja, said it might not field a candidate in the poll, the contest might turn into a litmus test between Odinga and Deputy President William Ruto, who analysts say, might support a rival to upstage ODM.
