ODM sets date for party grassroots elections

The Orange Democratic Party Movement (ODM) party has set March 5 to 9th this year as the date to conduct grassroots elections.

The decision was reached following a meeting with party leader Raila Odinga and the members of the National Elections Board, according to a statement by the ODM director of communications Philip Etale.

During the meeting, the party leader who is also Kenya's Prime Minister said the elections would be used to gauge the true ODM members and supporters, constituting the party into "a strong, formidable and popular political party in Kenya."

The PM called for an end to political feuds within the Party Branches saying that impacts negatively on the party. He noted that "ODM needs to adhere fully with the Political Parties Act and take advantage of the goodwill it has amongst the people of Kenya," the statement said.

Mr Odinga said the party was in the process of indentifying strong and people of high integrity persons to vie for Senate and Governorship in 2012 on the party ticket.

He asked the National Elections Board to carefully vet candidates for various elective seats planning to run on ODM ticket. “We should get rid of moles and those people send to interfere with our nominations’ exercise”, he said.

The ODM meeting also resolved that the Party would hold its National Delegates Conference from Friday 8 to Saturday 9th oApril 2011.

Deputy Party Leader Mr Musalia Mudavadi said the grassroots elections and the National Delegates Conference will be used to elect party officials with the aim of strengthening the party.

Mr Mudavadi said the National Delegates Conference will be held in accordance with the requirements of the political parties act. “This will not be an exercise will not about 2012 Presidential Elections but just normal party elections” he added saying that “a date for the nomination of the party’s flagbearer for 2012 will be called at an appropriate time”.

During the meeting, the Party approved nine candidates nominated to run for the nine vacant Civic Seats across the country in the February 16th 2010 by-elections in ten Civic Wards across the country.