The Orange Democratic Party on Tuesday received several defectors from rival parties during its grassroots recruitment drive held in Vihiga.
ODM leader Raila Odinga welcomed the defectors on the second day of the party's grassroots recruitment exercise in Vihiga County.
"At the Vihiga party delegates meeting held at Sosa hotel grounds in Vihiga, party leader Raila Odinga received several politicians into the party led by former woman rep candidate Violet Bagada. The defectors were from ANC, NAPK, and UDP among others," ODM said in a statement.
The defections signal a positive outcome of ODM's recruitment drive as Raila seeks to bolster his bases ahead of the 2027 polls.
The recruitment exercise started in Busia County on Monday, setting in motion the second phase of the two-week drive that will conclude on January 27 after a final run in the Coastal counties of Lamu, Tana River, Kilifi, Taita Taveta, Kwale and Mombasa.
Phase one of the exercise was launched on November 11, 2023, where Raila spearheaded the drive in Siaya, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii, Nyamira and Kisumu before the close of the year.
The ongoing recruitment is expected to be concluded in March 2024 ahead of anticipated grassroots elections in April.
Already, Raila has refurbished the party's electoral team by disbanding the National Election Board and opting to devolve the management of party elections to the county level under a two-tier structure.
He established a new entity known as the Coordinating Committee (NCC) and appointed three persons who shall oversee the party elections and nominations at the National Level.
The new approach is aimed at reducing tensions and lobbying at the national level and forestalling the culture of selling nomination tickets to the highest bidders.
"Henceforth, all party elections shall be managed at the county level with two Elections Coordinators one male and one female in charge of each County," ODM said on January 10.
The party said that the NCC will report directly to the party's central management committee chaired by Raila.