ODM Reveals When It Will Resume Grassroots Elections

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has revealed that its grassroots elections will take place on November 27, 2024. This is after they were postponed in April this year due to the flooding experienced in most parts of the country.

In a statement on Monday, November 4, ODM noted that the party's National Elections Coordinating Committee (NECC) was ready to conduct the exercise.

Emily Awita, the chairperson in charge of the NECC, revealed that the elections would be held on November 27 across all 47 counties between 10 am and 2 pm.

"As all party members are aware, the NECC pursuant to the resolution of the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) had scheduled to conduct grassroots elections in the month of April 2024 but due to the flooding that was being experienced in most parts of the country at the time, the exercise was postponed indefinitely.

ODM chairperson, Gladys Wanga, during a meeting of the Council of County Chairpersons in Nairobi on October 30, 2024. /ODM PARTY

"Pursuant to this resolution, the NECC wishes to announce that the grassroots elections will be conducted on 27th November in all polling units/centres across the 47 counties," Awita stated.

Awita encouraged the party members to read and acquaint themselves with the guidelines for grassroots elections. The party primaries, nominations and election rules handbook can be downloaded from the party's website www.odm.co.ke

She further noted that elections would be held to elect 30 party officials, with 10 officials from each of the three committees at each polling centre: Mainstream, Women’s League, and Youth League.

"The positions to be contested in the mainstream category shall include the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Organizing Secretary, Treasurer, Women Leader, Youth Leader and three Committee Members.

"The positions to be contested in the Women and Youth League categories shall include Chairperson, Secretary, Organizing Secretary and their deputies, Treasurer and three Committee Members," ODM's NECC chairperson remarked.

The committee, aside from the aforementioned guideline, outlined several other guidelines to be followed during the election exercise including all the positions to be filled in each of the three categories mentioned above. 

For instance, the commission considered the plight of minorities and people living with disabilities with the fifth guideline stating, “Persons with disabilities and minorities be mainstreamed in the three (3) categories.”

They also highlighted the method to be used in the voting process which is the consensus or voting by a show of hands and will require county election coordinators to work closely with polling unit/centre coordinators.