NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 25 -The Orange Democratic Party (ODM) grassroots elections are all set to take place on Wednesday at all Polling stations level across the 47 counties.
In a press statement, the ODM National Elections Coordinating Committee (NECC) chairperson Emily Awita has confirmed the readiness and measures put in place to ensure the much-anticipated exercise which aims at having new office bearers elected takes place smoothly.
The chairperson further states that aspirants have been registering online, through a USSD code (*483*036#) and through a web registration to enlist for participation.
“Every aspirant is required to pay a participation fee of Ksh. 100 to be eligible for election,” said Awita.
“During the exercise, only registered members will be eligible to participate in the elections, copies of the register will be available in all the 47 counties by close of business tomorrow (Tuesday 26, Nov) in readiness for the exercise,” Emily stated.
The presser states that the County Elections Coordinators have been trained and equipped with all the necessary skills and materials to ensure the exercise runs smoothly and efficiently.
Awita has urged all the party members and aspirants to retrain from activities that may disrupt the elections.
“Polls will start at 10:00am and end at 3:00pm. We expect the exercise to run smoothly and I urge party members and aspirants to exercise restraint and avoid any unnecessary distractions,” she stated.
There will be elections of 30 party officials with 10 each coming from three polling units that are from the mainstream, women league and youth league.
The mainstream elections will include positions of Chairperson, Vice chairperson, Secretary, Organizing secretary, Treasurer, Women leader, Youth leader and three Committee Members.
Similarly, the Women and Youth League categories will feature elections for Chairperson, Secretary, Organizing Secretary and their deputies, Treasurer, and three Committee Members.
ODM has four tiers or levels of delegates, that is the polling station level, Ward level, Branch level (constituency) and County level.
Dates for elections of the other levels of the party tiers will be announced after the elections of the polling stations level.
ODM had in April postponed its grassroots elections citing the heavy rain that wreaked havoc in several parts of the country.
