Written By Ramadhan Kambi 📝
There is an increasing fear among Malindi ODM members that the forth-coming party primaries might not be free and fair.
A hue and cry from the ODM members in the constituency is that the party might be planning to favour a woman in the oncoming nominations for the parliamentary seat.
The bone of contention is the habit by one of the aspirants, Amina Mnyazi whom they claim has been going around chest-thumping that the ticket will be given to her because she has allegedly invested heavily in the party, unlike the others who were just joyriders.
The die hards further claimed that Ms Mnyazi who joined ODM after losing the Kilifi woman Rep position in a Jubilee party in 2017 has been taking part in giving money in fundraisings which is against the elections law.
Ms Mnyazi has since dismissed the allegations but promised to give a comprehensive response to the matter.
One of the ODM members from Malindi town Ms Aisha Kithabusha said there have been rumors going around that the parliamentary ticket for ODM has been given to Ms Mnyazi.
Addressing journalists in Malindi she said as members they have their own aspirants who they support and want the party to clarify on the issue so as to stop campaigning if the ticket has already been given to Mnyazi.
“We would like to know that’s why we are here today, me and fellow ODM members,” she said.
Ms Rosemary Achieng a resident of Malindi said they have been hearing that the ticket has been given to Amina Mnyazi yet the nominations have not been done.
She said ODM party top officials clearly stated that the Nominations would be free and fair but wondered why there are reports that the ticket is already in the hands of one aspirant.
“We want the party to clear the air on this issue because we have our own candidates who are eying for the seat in an ODM ticket so that we stop campaigning for them,” she said.
She said the party should ensure that the Nominations are free and fair as promised.
Further, she said some aspirants have also been contributing to fundraising yet the party is against that.
Ms Kithabusha said as per the way things were it seems there is a lot of favoritism on Mnyazi and they are worried that they could go for nominations just for the sake while the ticket will already be with one of them.
Earlier, the constituency had about seven aspirants seeking the party ticket but there are several who have since withdrawn for fear of losing the certificate.
The latest to shift from the parliamentary race in ODM is Kenneth Karisa commonly called Karisa foundation who on Wednesday officially declared he would vie for the seat in a Pamoja African Alliance party (PAA) ticket.
Phillip Charo one of the popular candidates who was in ODM also reportedly failed to tender his resignation as chairman of the Coast Development Authority for fear of losing the ODM ticket.
Others vying for the seat to replace outgoing Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa in an ODM include former KTN Journalist Jamaal Gaddafi, Lennox Pande, and Sanga Barawa.
Others also contesting for the race in other parties include Willy Mtengo (PAA) and Peter Ponda of UDA.
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