The ODM party on Saturday, September 26, resolved not to field candidates for by-elections in seats previously held by the Jubilee Party.
In a statement, Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna announced that the National Executive Committee (NEC) had agreed to stand down in two by-elections after Jubilee opted not to challenge them in the Msambweni Constituency by-election.
"ODM has today through its party's NEC resolved that it will not be fielding candidates in Lake View Ward in Nakuru County and Kahawa Wendani Ward in Kiambu County both of which were held by Jubilee," Sifuna stated after the party's NEC meeting in Athi River on Saturday, September 26.
Jubilee, through its Secretary-General Raphael Tuju had earlier stated that it would not field a candidate in the Mswambweni by-election as it was considering the cooperation agreement with ODM.
In the meeting at Athi River, the ODM Party also decided to postpone the holding of grassroots elections in light of the persistence of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Bearing in mind the need to still meet the dictates of our party constitution, the NEC has resolved to conduct a harmonisation exercise to fill existing gaps in the party leadership resulting from death, resignations, or defections from the polling station level to the national level," the statement reads ni part.
The NEC also reconstituted the party's Legal Affairs Committee with Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi appointed as the chairperson and secretary of the committee.
Sifuna further rallied the party members in preparation for the upcoming reform debate and referendum.
"We know the usual anti-reform forces are regrouping to fight efforts aimed at uniting Kenyans, rebuild our economy and stop the looting of public resources. We are telling them, their days are numbered. We shall defeat them," he proclaimed.
Sifuna also spoke on allegations by a section of leaders that there were plans to steal the 2022 elections through the Huduma Namba.
"We are not surprised that the Huduma Namba project has become their latest punching bag. They have in the past viciously opposed the fight against corruption, they fight the DCI, the EACC, and cripple the running of government," the party held.
In the same meeting, Kilifi North MP Owen Baya was suspended from the NEC and his position as deputy organising secretary over his recent utterances that cast doubt on his loyalty to the party.
