Litmus test for ODM, UDA as dates for grassroots polls set

President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga are facing a litmus test as their parties gear up for grassroots elections.

While ODM has announced it will conduct party elections this month, UDA has pushed its polls to next year.

This year’s ODM polls will be the first in the absence of Raila. Raila relinquished his position in the party to concentrate on his African Union Commission chairmanship campaigns.

Most political parties have always avoided grassroots elections with most opting to headhunt officials.

UDA and ODM called off their polls over imminent internal fallout that threatened to tear the parties apart.

ODM’s National Executive Committee during a meeting chaired by Raila in October, scheduled the polls for this month to get new set of leaders and also replace seats left vacant by former officials.

On Wednesday, the party’s top leadership in a meeting with the 47 county chairpersons said the polls are on.

The meeting was chaired by chairperson Gladys Wanga and was attended by deputy party leader Godffrey Osotsi and secretary general Edwin Sifuna.

The chairpersons were briefed by the National Elections Coordinating Committee on the preparedness of the exercise. The dates for the polls will be released next week.

“The board will release a formal schedule of the exercise on or before November 4,” the party said.

Ruto whose UDA party is at the center of impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, faces a fresh headache in conducting the polls in Mt Kenya and parts of Nairobi.

Gachagua, who played instrumental role in setting up the party after breaking away from Jubilee, still commands support in party strongholds, especially Central Kenya.

In August, the party had to call off Nairobi elections after two rival camps differed over dates. One wing was allied to Gachagua.

To worsen the situation, the party has revealed plans to kick out Gachagua after his impeachment. “The NEC will soon convene and instal a new deputy party leader to take the place of Gachagua,’’ Kitutu Chache North MP Japhet Nyakundi said last week.

Gachagua has not shown signs of severing ties with the ruling party. His allies have however threatened mass walkout from the ruling outfit akin to what befell Jubilee Party.

UDA acting secretary general Hassan Omar saidGachagua’s removal from the party will be completed once the ongoing court cases are finalised.