Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga is reported to have handed each of the nine ODM aspirants who lost in party primaries Sh250,000 they had paid.
According to the Standard, this follows revelations of how some top party officials orchestrated doctoring of the voters’ roll.
The latest development points to an open admission by the party’s top brass that the process – which was generally seen as peaceful – fell short of a free and fair vote.
Two senior party officials on Monday confirmed to the local daily that Raila returned the funds on Wednesday to Dagoretti High School Principal Peter Orero, who emerged second, Ben Musungu, John Otieno, Chris Odhiambo and Tony Ogola. Others who were refunded were Stephen Okello, Brian Owino, Reuben Ojijo and Eric Obayi.
Some of the aspirants who lost in primaries confirmed that they received their nomination fees from the party.
It is reported that Raila made the decision after an hour-long meeting last Tuesday where the claims of deliberate interference with the register was laid bare in his presence and other party honchos.
A good number of the ODM members who turned up to participate in the exercise either found their names missing or had them mixed up, effectively denying them opportunity to cast their vote.
Raila will today(Tuesday) meet the campaign team of ODM candidate Bernard Okoth (Imran) at AIC Olympic Kibra.
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