President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) are facing a litmus test as they plan to resume their grassroots polls later this month.
The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) had in August directed UDA to conclude its grassroots polls within 180 days.
“In line with good governance practices and the mandate of this office, the party is hereby directed to finalise the party elections as soon as practically possible but not later than a hundred and eighty (180) days from the date of this letter,” Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu said.
UDA National Elections Board (NEB) chairman Anthony Mwaura told Nation that they are planning to kick off the exercise and have the elections concluded by mid-December.
“We are going to start them again in November (this month) when schools are closed. The plan is to have the elections concluded in all the areas by December 15,” he said.
The party which enjoyed massive support in Mt Kenya region could however face headwinds in the region following the impeachment of former Deputy President (DP) Rigathi Gachagua who is also facing replacement as the party’s deputy leader.
UDA Secretary-General Hassan Omar had announced plans to replace Mr Gachagua with the new DP, Prof Kithure Kindiki, as the party’s deputy leader.
ODM on its part on Monday said it would resume its grassroots elections on November 27, after completion of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination, amid power struggles in the party over Mr Odinga’s move to campaign for the chairmanship of the African Union Commission (AUC) which has attracted State support.
Mr Odinga stepped aside from the party leadership and handed the instruments of power to Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o in an interim capacity.
President Ruto’s appointment of key ODM figures to his broad-based government in July had also created divisions in the party with some members insisting they were still in the opposition while others say they had since joined government.
Some of those high-profile ODM leaders named in the broad-based cabinet are former ODM deputy party leaders Hassan Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya, former ODM National Chairman John Mbadi and ex-secretary of Political Affairs Opiyo Wandayi as well as former member of the party's elections board, Ms Beatrice Askul.
The party yesterday said that the resumption of its polls follows their postponement in April due to flooding in most parts of the country.
The party's National Elections Coordinating Committee (NECC) Chairperson Emily Awita announced that the party was now ready to proceed with the elections, saying voting would take place in all centres in the 47 counties.
“As all party members are aware, the NECC pursuant to the resolution of the Party's National Executive Committee (NEC) had scheduled to conduct the grassroots elections in April, 2024 but due to the flooding that was being experienced in most parts of the country at the time, the exercise was postponed indefinitely.
“Pursuant to this resolution, the NECC wishes to announce that the grassroots elections will be conducted on 27 November 2024 in all polling units and centres across the 47 counties,” Ms Awita announced in a statement on Monday.
Ms Awita said: “The election methods to be used shall include: consensus or voting by a show of hands and the polls will be conducted between 10 am to 2 pm on the day of election.”
The NECC chair pointed out that there will be elections of 30 party officials, 10 each from the three committees at each polling unit or centre.
The committees include; mainstream, women league and youth league.
She said that in the mainstream category, the positions to be contested shall include the chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary, organising secretary, treasurer, women leader, youth leader and three committee members.
In the women and youth league category, Ms Awita said: “it shall include
Chairperson, Secretary, Organising Secretary and their deputies, treasurer and three committee members with persons of disabilities and minorities mainstreamed in the three categories.
“The county election coordinators will work closely with polling unit or centre coordinators and members are encouraged to read and acquaint themselves with the guidelines for grassroots elections after verifying their membership details.”
UDA had equally started its polls in April, but was forced to abandon them after concluding the exercise in only two counties of Busia and Homa Bay out of the initial five that had been scheduled in the first phase.
Constituency level elections in West Pokot were postponed over reports of possible violence while Nairobi and Narok were put on ice following petitions challenging credibility of the exercise.
UDA had planned to conclude the polls in August before they were indefinitely put on hold following political unrest against the proposed Finance Bill, 2024.
The party had in April announced its staggered dates for the grassroots elections after its national steering committee meeting chaired by President Ruto, where it settled on April 26 to August 24 for the polls.
In ODM, Mr Odinga had announced that the party elections would begin from the grassroots in April, all the way to the county level and later at the national stage.
In president Ruto’s UDA, phase one of the elections was to be conducted on April 26 in Nairobi, Narok, West-Pokot, Busia, Homa Bay, Isiolo and Garissa.
The party had also announced that phase two of the elections would take place on June 22 in Mombasa, Uasin Gishu, Nyandarua, Tharaka Nithi, Machakos, Kisii, Bungoma, Siaya, Taita Taveta, Wajir, Tana River, Kwale and Marsabit.
Phase 3 of the polls was to be conducted on August 10 in Kiambu, Embu, Kericho, Meru, Migori, Kakamega, Nyamira, Kitui, Elgeyo Marakwet, Samburu, Kajiado, Mandera, Kilifi, Murang’a and Lamu.
Phase 4 that was slated for August 24 was to see the polls held in Nakuru, Bomet, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Nandi, Baringo, Turkana, Laikipia, Trans-Nzoia, Kisumu, Vihiga and Makueni counties.
“Upon completion of the grassroots elections in all the counties, UDA will conduct county and national election by December 2024,” UDA Chairperson Cecily Mbarire announced then but the plans were affected by the massive anti-Finance bill protests.
