ODM puts off grassroots polls

Orange Democratic Movement secretary general Peter Anyang' Nyong'o and the party's Executive Director Janet Ongera. ODM postponed its grassroots elections May 24, 2011. FILE

ODM postponed its grassroots elections on Tuesday as it came to terms with its failure to capture the Ikolomani parliamentary seat in its Western Province stronghold.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s office announced that it was postponing the elections for a week to enable its branches in Western Province to prepare adequately as they had used their energies in the Ikolomani campaigns.

“Some branches like Nairobi and Western had concentrated their efforts on the Kamukunji and Ikolomani by-elections and had, therefore, not put in place proper mechanisms for the elections,” the party said while announcing that the polls would now be held between June 3 and June 6. The polls had been scheduled for this weekend.

In the days leading to the polls, the contest had assumed a national dimension, with ODM heavyweights led by Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi camping in the constituency to “reclaim” a seat the party said had been “stolen” by Dr Boni Khalwale in 2007.

With 18 out of the 24 parliamentary seats, ODM was determined to assert its supremacy in the region ahead of 2012 by ensuring its candidate, Mr Bernard Shinali, emerged victorious.

Whereas Dr Khalwale chose to defend the seat on a New Ford Kenya ticket, it was clear from the list of politicians who backed his campaign that he represented the anti-ODM forces keen to weaken the Orange party in the region.

Even though top PNU leaders Uhuru Kenyatta, Kalonzo Musyoka and ODM rebel William Ruto stayed away from Ikolomani, their allies like Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa and Housing minister Soita Shitanda camped in the constituency to campaign for Dr Khalwale.

As the campaigns progressed, focus shifted from a Khalwale-Shinali contest to a battle for the region’s political kingpin between Mr Mudavadi and Mr Wamalwa who has declared interest in running for the presidency in 2012.

ODM on Tuesday downplayed the effect of Dr Khalwale’s victory on the party’s fortunes in the region, maintaining that it remains the most popular party, the Ikolomani’s results notwithstanding.

“ODM remains the party to beat in Western, the results notwithstanding. Let us not mistake Khalwale’s victory to mean that ODM is vanquished.

“ODM still is the most popular party in Western and it is in the interests of our people that we identify with a national party, not a party of three MPs,” said ODM Mumias MP Ben Washiali.