Raila to meet leaders over polls

PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA Nominated Senator Agnes Zani (left) is joined by ODM party delegates in a jig during a meeting at White Highlands Hotel in Eldoret town on February 16, 2014. The party will hold its elections on February 28.

What you need to know:

  • Nyanza and Coast politicians switch allegiance amid traitor claims
  • Mr Odinga is also expected to meet the National Elections Board amidst claims there are attempts to manipulate the party’s delegates register ahead of the National Delegates Conference (NDC) slated for this month.

Campaigns for top ODM positions intensified across the country on Sunday as party leader Raila Odinga seeks to meet all MPs and candidates separately this week.

Mr Odinga is also expected to meet the National Elections Board amidst claims there are attempts to manipulate the party’s delegates register ahead of the National Delegates Conference (NDC) slated for this month.

There has been a vicious campaign by top candidates especially for the position of secretary-general where Mr Odinga’s preferred candidate Agnes Zani is expected to face off with Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba and others.

Over 2,800 delegates drawn from the party’s 210 constituencies and national organs have been invited to participate in the event scheduled to take two days from February 28.

The NEB is this week expected to clean the delegates lists and replace those who have left the party.

On Sunday, five MPs from Homa Bay County maintained they will not withdraw support for Mr Namwamba despite endorsements from Coast favouring his closest opponent Agnes Zani.

The MPs led by Ndhiwa MP Agustino Neto challenged the Homa Bay county delegates to vote for Mr Namwamba given his track record as an ardent supporter of the party.

“The post is key to the party and it must be occupied by someone who has been tried and tested”, Mr Neto added.

Mr Namwamba and Nominated Senator Elizabeth Ongoro who were present said the onus is with the delegates to identify their secretary-general.

Speaking separately during meetings with ODM delegates at Tausi Hotel in Homa bay, Mr Namwamba dismissed those “dreaming” that ODM will crumble after the party polls.

“We will come out more united in readiness for battle with the Jubilee coalition after this elections,” Mr Namwamba said.

Earlier while campaigning in Kisii, Mr Namwamba asked delegates to ignore those calling him a mole.

In Kwale and Kilifi counties, ODM delegates vowed to support one of their own during the party elections slated for February 28 and March 1.

On Sunday, the Kinango ODM chair James Dena said they were meeting to strategise on how they would convince other delegates to back Ms Zani for the secretary general’s post.

“We are meeting to plan how to approach the issue and ensure our favourite candidates emerge victorious at the Kasarani delegates conference,” he said on phone.

But the national youth affairs treasurer from Kilifi branch Mwaboza Mwasambo said he had decamped from Ms Ongoro’s camp to Mr Namwamba’s.

Reports By Mwakera Mwajefa, George Kikami, Maurice Kaluoch and Jackline Moraa