Kakamega ODM officials to open party offices in county

 

Kakamega ODM officials have announced plans to revive the party in the county.

On Friday, during a meeting chaired by Deputy Governor Philip Kutima, officials said they will open party offices at the county and subcounty levels.

Kakamega has remained without a branch office for 10 years even though Governor Wycliffe Oparanya is a deputy party leader. All party meetings have been held at the county headquarters.

The officials also endorsed Kutima to take over the leadership of the county after Oparanya exits office in 2022.

Oparanya said he will be seeking a national position after his second and final term as governor.

"He [Kutima] should work hard to take over the leadership of this great county of Kakamega, and we promise to support him in this endeavour," the statement read by Likuyani subcounty chairman Robert Makhanu said.

Kutima will first have to square it out with Ketraco CEO Fernandes Barasa, who is keen on bagging the ODM ticket for the Kakamega governorship.

The meeting was attended by county officials, subcounty chairmen, women and youth league chairmen.

The meeting also resolved that party members who hold positions in the government and those who do business with the government (contractors) should support the development of the party by financing its activities.

They also said that they would support joint nominations by any coalition the party would join ahead of the 2022 polls. "We want such a coalition to have one candidate for every elective seat instead of coalition parties competing against each other in the general election." 

ODM leader Raila Odinga last week told party members to prepare for a new alliance ahead of the 2022 race.