ODM presidential hopeful Jimmy Wanjigi has cried foul over the party’s plan to use the consensus method in picking its candidates instead of the party primaries.
The businessman termed the consensus approach as suggested by the ODM leader Raila Odinga as a gross violation of the party constitution, vague, improper and clearly flies in the face of the mood of members who wish to participate in a transparent democratic process to reinvigorate the party for the 2022 elections.
“I wish to differ with my party leader Raila Odinga who commented about the use of consensus arrangement in the party nomination exercise. This is a party of the people and therefore the party members must be given an opportunity to decide who will be the party’s candidates for various positions,” Wanjigi said.
Wanjigi said it is undemocratic for a few individuals to convene in a room and decide who is going to vie as MCA, MP, Governor, Senator and even presidential candidate using the ODM ticket.
The presidential hopeful maintained his demands for a democratic process in picking candidates is anchored in the constitution that has governed ODM in its 16 years of existence.
“This is established in the constitution of the party on how the process should be done. The people decide who their leaders are and there are no shortcuts and that is democracy. Don’t be afraid of contest and some of us are not afraid and we are prepared to face you whoever you are,”
“The young people of this country are not going to be taken through a process knowing that democracy is something that can be negotiated in a room,” he added. He called on the youth to vie for various political seats in the 2022 general elections.
The ODM leader on Wednesday backed consensus in the party primaries ahead of 2022 polls.
He encouraged dialogue among aspirants to reach a consensus on the best person to fly the party flag. Should there be disagreements among hopefuls, delegates and members, he said, the party will issue direct tickets.
“The party will employ four options to nominate its candidates. The first one will be consensus, while the delegates system will be the second option,” Mr Odinga said when he visited victims of the Kibra fire incident in Nairobi.
