ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna reveals direct nomination tickets to women in 2022 elections

Orange Democratic Movement Secretary Genral Edwin Sifuna has revealed that party has previously handed direct party nomination certificates to toa number of lawmakers, especially in Nyanza region. Sifuna named Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo, Eve Obara of Kabondo, Joyce Bensouda, Homa Bay County Woman Representative, Governor Gladys Wanga, MP Roza Buyu of Kisumu West, and Lilian Gogo of Rangwe as some of the beneficiaries of the direct nomination. “If you look at all these beautiful women sitting here, all these powerful women who are here, Millie Odhiambo can bear me witness that all of you in the 2022 elections were handed direct tickets,” Sifuna said. “I remember men who used to come to my office saying, oh Sifuna, I want to run in Suba North. I say, bro but you are a man. There is no way the party is subjecting Millie Odhiambo to primaries against a man. If you want to run in Mbita, her constituency, can you please be of the same gender.” Millie Odhiambo, at the urging of Eve Obara, clarified that she did not get direct nomination in the 2013 and 2017 elections. She previously served as a Nominated Member of Parliament. She is serving her fourth term. She said the direct nominations were given in 2022, adding that it is not easy getting elected in a “male-female” contest. But Sifuna said the deliberate policy is targeting giving more women an opportunity at the decision-making table. Sifuna spoke on Wednesday, August 6 at the funeral service of the former MP for Karachuonyo Phoebe Asiyo at the Nairobi Central SDA Church, Maxwell, Nairobi. Sifuna, who is the Nairobi Senator, said the ODM party leader Raila Odinga has told men to either support women candidates or get out of the way. He said the party wants to grow the number of women leaders. He added that the party waived nomination fees for women candidates because they face many obstacles during the nomination period, including the cost and violence witnessed during the campaign. Sifuna is the patron of He For She in ODM, a program that supports women candidates.