The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party has launched investigations into the violence that marred its grassroots elections.

The party said that even though the just concluded grassroots elections largely went on seamlessly, cases of violence were witnessed in some polling units which disrupted the exercise.

In press statement released yesterday, the party National Elections Coordinating Committee (NECC) chairperson Emily Awita said investigations are ongoing to establish those behind the violence, warning that stern action would be taken against those found culpable.

“The party will not hesitate to take necessary action against those involved regardless of their status in the party or society,” Awita said.

The elections were conducted on November 27 across all gazetted polling units in the 47 counties.
Awita noted that in some areas the elections were slowed down by the rains but that did not deter members from participating in the process.

She said registered party members either used consensus or voting by show of hands models to pick new officials as stipulated in the party Elections and Nominations rules.

“Presiding officers at the poling units took the members and candidates through the process and in most cases, members resolved to go the consensus way. In other places, they resolved to vote by show of hands. By and large the exercise was successful,” she explained, adding that the exercise went on smoothly in more than 98 per cent of the poling stations.

According to Awita, the party was already receiving and compiling the results from the polls on its elections portal, a process which was expected to conclude by yesterday.

“The process of receiving the results is ongoing and in some instances, poor network is slowing it down. Our election officials are working round the clock to feed the results and make the process complete by close of today (Thursday),” said Awita.

Meanwhile, ODM chairperson Gladys Wanga assured that the party is ready to field a candidate for the 2027 presidential election after its successful grassroots polls.

Wanga argued that the turnout by the party members to participate in the exercise signified that ODM is still popular and vibrant as compared to other political parties in the country.