Ahead of the much-anticipated Orange Democratic Movement party nominations, Kasipul Constituency has been rocked by chaos. Some candidates for the open seat have criticised the party for its inconsistent communication regarding the nomination process.
Speaking on Monday, the aspirants claimed that the lacklustre communication could be an indication that some higher-ups were planning to rig the nomination or at least influence the process.
"If it were going to be a free and fair nomination, by now we would have already known who is going to stand in for this election, but to date, we have only four days, and we don't know who is going to stand for this nomination," one lamented.
"That is why I am sending messages. If you are planning to loot our votes, try somewhere else, not Kasipul, or else we are going to refuse and tell you the party does not belong to you."
As such, the aspirants warned anyone attempting to interfere with the nomination process would be received with opposition from the people of Kasipul, as the ODM that let such incidents slide was "the past ODM".
"We all want this position for those who are in this competition; let us have the chance. Let the people decide. Do not decide in your house. I am telling you without fear that the ODM we are in today is different from the ODM that you think."
Another candidate expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of information regarding the impending nominations, stating that all candidates should be informed about the details of the returning officer and the location of the tallying centre.
He claimed that so far, only one such aspirant had been apprised of the details of the upcoming elections.
"We talk about democracy, and the democracy we have on the national level must be seen at the constituency level too," another aptly added.
"Should anything happen that the will of the people will be twisted in the interest of one candidate, who we already know, for the purpose of the leaders of the county who have self-interest in the constituency, then ODM will lose."
However, the three aspirants did not name which candidate was reportedly being favoured by the county and top ODM leaders.
They claimed that such interference would dissuade the people of Kasipul from coming out to vote, and therefore the same would be repeated during the November 27 by-elections.
The Kasipul MP seat was declared vacant after the late Charles Ong'ondo Were succumbed to bullet injuries in Nairobi on April 30.
