The Orange Democratic Movement is gearing up for a crucial phase of its grassroots elections, with ward-level polls slated to commence on Monday, April 7, 2025.
The elections will be conducted across all the 47 counties.
This resumption follows the successful polling unit elections held on November 17, 2024, marking a significant step in the party's internal democratic processes.
The upcoming elections will focus on the sub-branch level, specifically the wards, where only delegates previously elected at the polling unit level will be eligible to participate.
This stage is pivotal as it will determine the individuals who will advance to the branch-level (constituency) elections, scheduled for Wednesday, April 9, 2025.
Chairperson of the National Elections Coordinating Committee (NECC), Emily Awita expressed confidence in the party's readiness for the exercise.
"We are very ready for the exercise. It is all systems go, and we expect the exercise to run smoothly," she stated.
To ensure the smooth and secure conduct of the elections, the NECC secretariat has coordinated with relevant security teams and school management in each county to provide secure venues.
Returning Officers have been deployed to all 290 constituencies, and Presiding Officers have been assigned to all wards.
The County Election Committees will play a crucial role in overseeing the elections throughout the country.
The party has indicated that the elections will proceed by either consensus or through a show of hands.
This process is expected to be a vital part of reinforcing the ODM strength from the ground up.
In the exercise, a total of 77 party officials will be elected at both sub-branch and branch levels across the four committees – Mainstream, Women’s league, Youth League, and Disability league.
In the mainstream, the positions up for grabs include chairperson, deputy chairperson, secretary, deputy secretary, treasurer, deputy treasurer, organising secretary and his deputy.
The delegates will also elect a Secretary for Women, Youth, Disability and special interest group representative.
In addition, the mainstream will also have eight officials designated as committee members.
Both ODM and the ruling United Democratic Alliance have been holding grassroots elections in efforts to strengthen their parties.
The two parties, which boast of the largest following in the country recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together.
