This archive report was first published on 29 August 2019.
On August 29, 2019, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) announced that it would be postponing its nominations for the Kibra by-election, originally scheduled for August 31. The party cited the ongoing census as the reason for the delay, stating that holding a nomination during the enumeration process would disrupt various activities.
However, some have questioned whether the census is the genuine reason for the postponement. The party's decision to involve the National Police to provide security during the exercise and its efforts to ensure a transparent nomination process suggest that there may be other factors at play.
After two recent by-elections, where ODM suffered significant losses in its traditional strongholds, the party has made a resolution to correct issues related to the acquisition of its tickets. In both Ugenya and Embakasi South, there were no nominations for the party's candidate, and in Kibra, the party is taking no chances.
ODM has submitted the names of 11 out of 20 aspirants to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), following the party's requirement that applicants pay a fee of Sh200,000 by midday on Tuesday. The cleared aspirants include Christone Odhiambo, Peter Ochieng, Tony Ogola Sira, Reuben Ojijo, and Stephen Okello, among others.
