ODM reviews 41 petitions from grassroots elections, six to proceed to Appeals Committee

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) will forward six appeals, filed after its nationwide grassroots elections held in November 2024, to the party’s Appeals Committee for hearing and determination, Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has announced.

Speaking in Kileleshwa on Friday, after the ODM Central Committee convened for its first meeting of the year, the Nairobi Senator noted that out of 41 appeals filed, six were found to be supported by evidence.

The remaining 35 appeals, Sifuna says, were found to lack substantive evidence and were thus rejected.

“Following the largely successful grassroots elections in November at polling units in all the 47 Counties the Party received 41 Appeals. The cases have been reviewed for merit with most of them being found to be frivolous,” Sifuna said.

“A total of 6 appeals were found to be supported by evidence and will be proceeding to hearing before the Party's Appeals Committee.”

He added that the party’s National Elections Coordinating Committee (NECC) has appointed three senior party members to serve on the Appeals Committee, that will determine the cases.

“The Central Committee has seconded Abdulswamad Sheriff, Rosa Buyu and Ahmed Abdisalan to be members of the Appeals Committee for purposes of the 6 appeals,” said Sifuna.

Once the hearing process is concluded, ODM’s NECC will make a final decision, after which the party will announce the dates for subsequent elections at the ward, constituency and county levels.

“Upon conclusion of this process, the NECC shall be announcing dates for the elections at ward, Constituency and County levels,” he said.

Additionally, Sifuna extended congratulations to all those who were successfully elected during the grassroots elections.

“The Party Congratulates all those elected in the various positions and has directed the NECC to issue certificates to the successful candidates who fully complied with the rules including the requirement on Payments,” he said.