ODM has announced that on Sunday this week, MPs, MCAs and the leadership of the party will converge at Cornerstone Church to hold special prayers for former MP Irshad Sumra who will be flying the ODM ticket in the upcoming Embakasi South by-election.
The announcement is a clear indication that ODM has settled on Sumra and there will be no party nominations.
Supreme Court nullified the election of MP Julius Mawathe and so far at least seven people have so far come out to express interest in the lucrative seat that fell vacant following a petition filed by Sumra.
The apex court nullified the elections on December 21, last year on grounds that there was not evidence to support the results that IEBC used to declare Mawathe the winner after the August 8, 2017 elections.
Sumra had successfully challenged Mawathe’s win at the Court of Appeal after High Court Judge dismissed his initial petition. Mawathe then appealed at the Supreme Court.
Mawathe, who contested the seat on a Wiper ticket and ODM’s Sumra are still viewed as front-runners.
They will however face stiff opposition to capture their respective party tickets as other interested individuals will also seek the tickets.
Jubilee is reported to be considering former Nairobi County deputy speaker and long serving Kware ward MCA Ken Ngondi.
Ngondi is said to have a strong grass root links having served as Kware MCA for more than 15 years.
The others eyeing the jubilee ticket are George Gitiba and Samuel Mbugua.