Tension has gripped Kasipul Constituency just days before the much-awaited Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party nominations.
The race to fill the parliamentary seat, left vacant after the tragic death of the late MP Charles Ong’ondo Were on April 30, has taken a dramatic twist, with aspirants accusing the party of poor communication and possible plans to interfere with the process.
On Monday, several candidates eyeing the seat voiced frustration, claiming that ODM’s unclear communication about the nomination exercise was suspicious and could be an early sign of rigging or undue influence from party insiders.
One aspirant openly expressed doubt about the fairness of the upcoming exercise, arguing that the party ought to have provided clarity by now.
“If this nomination was going to be transparent and fair, we would already know who has been cleared to contest. Yet, here we are with only four days left, and no official communication has been made. That is why we are concerned,” the aspirant said.
He went on to issue a stern warning to party officials and external forces who might attempt to tamper with the will of the people.
“If you are planning to loot votes, please try it elsewhere, not in Kasipul. We will not allow it. The ODM of today is not the ODM of yesterday. We will resist any attempts to impose candidates on the people,” he cautioned.
Other candidates echoed the same concerns, insisting that every aspirant deserves equal treatment and that the final decision should be left to the voters, not party leaders operating behind closed doors.
Another aspirant pointed out the lack of crucial information regarding the nomination logistics. He said contestants had not been told who the returning officer would be or even where the tallying centre would be located. Shockingly, he alleged that only one aspirant had been given such details, raising fears of bias.
“We speak about democracy every day, but democracy should not only exist at the national level. It must also be seen and practised here in the constituency. Anything less will only confirm that the will of the people is being suppressed,” he remarked.
The candidates further warned that if ODM leaders at the county or national level attempted to manipulate the process to favour a particular aspirant, the move could backfire badly on the party.
“If the nomination is influenced for the sake of one individual who is already being supported by certain leaders, ODM risks losing. People here will not tolerate such games, and they may even choose to stay away from voting altogether,” one aspirant added.
Though the three candidates who raised the alarm did not reveal the name of the aspirant allegedly being favoured, they maintained that the people of Kasipul deserved a transparent process free from manipulation.
They emphasized that imposing leaders on the constituency would only discourage voter turnout during both the nominations and the November 27 by-election.
With emotions running high, the battle for the Kasipul seat is shaping up to be a test of ODM’s credibility in handling grassroots nominations.
As the aspirants put it, this time around, the people are determined to defend their right to choose their own leader without interference.
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