The Orange Democratic Movement has announced grassroots elections in one branch and two counties as the party intensifies preparations ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In a notice, the party’s National Elections Coordinating Committee chairperson Emily Awitta said the elections will be conducted in Taita Taveta County, Kisumu County and the Nyando branch.
According to the schedule released by the party, elections in Taita Taveta County will be held on May 22, 2026, while the Nyando branch elections are slated for May 29, 2026. Kisumu County elections will then follow on June 5, 2026.
“The elections will take place from 9 am to 12 pm,” Awitta said in the notice dated May 13, 2026.
She added that eligible delegates from the affected branch and counties will be allowed to contest various positions at both the branch and county levels as part of the party’s internal democratic processes.
The announcement comes just hours after ODM officially opened applications for members seeking the party’s nomination in the 2027 elections, including those eyeing the highly coveted presidential ticket.
In a separate notice released by the National Elections Coordinating Committee, ODM said applications are now open for aspirants seeking to vie on the party’s ticket for positions ranging from president, governor, senator and county woman representative to member of the National Assembly and member of the County Assembly.
The party said the nomination exercise will be conducted in accordance with its constitution and internal nomination rules, with the application period running until June 30, 2026.
Interested aspirants have been directed to submit their applications through the party’s online portal as ODM moves to streamline its nomination process ahead of what is expected to be a highly competitive election cycle.
The party also urged members to verify their membership details by dialling 483036# to avoid disputes during the nomination exercise.
“To guarantee a credible process, we urge our party members to continuously engage the National Elections Coordinating Committee for any clarifications,” the notice stated.
The latest developments signal ODM’s early preparations for the 2027 elections amid growing political realignments that continue to reshape the country’s political landscape.
The announcements also come against the backdrop of ongoing political cooperation talks between the ODM and the ruling United Democratic Alliance party.
Earlier this year, UDA’s National Executive Committee formally mandated party leader and President William Ruto to spearhead structured coalition negotiations with ODM ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In a communiqué issued following a National Executive Committee meeting held in Nairobi on January 14, UDA said it had taken note of ODM’s decision to pursue formal talks aimed at strengthening the existing political partnership between the two parties.
