NAIROBI: ORANGE DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS

After three postponements, finally the much awaited ODM grassroots elections will now be held on the 1^st through to the 4^th of July this year (2011).

A statement released by the Party’s National Elections Board Secretary Dr. Joseph Misoi stated that the elections shall be held from the sub-location level to the Branch Level which is the County.

According to Dr. Misoi, the elections shall be held as follows;

·       Sub-Location/Kijiji Elections…… 1^st July 2011

·       Location/Ward Elections………… 2^nd July 2011

·       Sub-Branch/Constituency………. 3^rd July 2011

·       Branch/County…………………….. 4^th July 2011

However, the elections in the SDA regions like Kisii, Nyamira, Homabay and Migori shall be held as follows;

·       Sub-Location/Kijiji…………………. 1^st July 2011

·       Location/Ward………………………. 3^rd July 2011

·       Sub-Branch/Constituency……….. 4^th July 2011

·       Branch/County……………………… 5^th July 2011

The timings for the elections shall be as follows;

·       Orange Women Democrats League……… 9.00.am

·       Orange Youth Democrats League……….. 12.00.pm

·       Mainstream Elections………………………. 3.00.pm

Dr. Misoi said that the elections shall be held in order to align the Party Organs with the country’s Constitution, to devolve Party Organs to the grassroots so as to promote a democratic and accountable management of the Party affairs, to enhance the participation of all the Members of the Party right from the grassroots to the national level in making party decisions and to facilitate the decentralization of the Party Organs, functions and services to the grassroots members.

Dr. Misoi asked Branch officials and Party Members involved in the recruitment and registration of members to submit provisional membership registers from their Branches to the County coordinators for vetting and scrutiny adding that no member of the Party shall be barred from voting on account of not producing a Party membership card.

He said the Board shall be very strict in discharging its electoral mandate to ensure that Democracy prevails in the elections process where only loyal and committed members of the party will participate.

Dr. Misoi urged those seeking party positions in the elections to note the provisions of the Constitution Article. 77 (2) as read with section 15 of the Political Parties Act.

He said the vision for the Party is to build National Leadership based on the 47 County Governments as opposed to selfish tribal coalitions which have caused havoc in Kenya since independence.

Ends......

Communications Department - ODM