ODM leader Raila Odinga is rallying his troops behind Kibra candidate Imran Okoth as the party plots to regain the seat.
Raila yesterday chaired a strategy meeting for the by-election with all ODM MPs and senators at County Hall, Parliament Buildings.
The seat fell vacant following the death of Ken Okoth on July 26.
ODM has segmented the constituency into wards with each assigned to at least 10 MPs who will comb the area to drum up support for Imran.
Kibra has five Wards: Sarang’ombe, Woodley/Kenyatta Golf Course, Makina, Laini Saba and Lindi.
According to the strategy, MPs will from this weekend be clustered in various groups, each campaigning in the five wards.
“The meeting was meant to bring on board all ODM MPs to support our candidate in Kibra. Anyone elected on ODM ticket will be part of this campaign, ” a senior party official told the Star.
Imran, who is the younger brother to the late Okoth, also attended the early morning meeting which brought together almost all ODM lawmakers.
To oil the campaigns which will run almost two months, the PG resolved to have each member donate at least Sh50,000 in today’s fundraising at Marsh Park Hotel, off Ngong Road.
Kibra voters will on November 7 vote to elect their new MP in a race that is shaping to be a three-horse race between Imran (ODM), Eliud Owalo (ANC) and McDonald Mariga (Jubilee).
During the meeting, the party also raised alarm over a plot to rig out ODM candidate through the manipulation of the IEBC register.
The alleged plot involves the registration of 10,000 new voters from the neighbouring Langata and Dagoretti South to tilt the race in favour of the Jubilee candidate.
“We resolved to have our legal team write officially to the IEBC to provide the party with the register which will be used in the poll for our scrutiny,” an MP who attended the meeting told the Star.
Imran's main challenger Mariga on Monday received a major boost to his prospects after Nairobi MCAs endorsed his candidature.
Led by majority leader Abdi Guyo, the ward reps pledged to conduct door-to-door campaigns for Mariga to ensure he wins the seat.
“Our party leaders inclusive of the President and his deputy are in support [of Mariga] and as MCAs we agree with them,” Guyo said.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto have also assured Mariga of their full backing.
