The Orange Democratic Movement party was forced to call off it's elections on Friday after a group of delegates led by nominated Member of Parliament Isaac Mwaura caused mayhem at the Kasarani Sports Gymnasium.
The disturbance started when nominated MP Isaac Mwaura raised concerns over a piece of paper that was being distributed at the election venue.
He claimed the paper was suggesting preferred candidates to the delegates hence giving them undue advantage at the ballot.
Supporters of the nominated MP smashed ballot boxes, destroyed election material and overturned tables making it impossible for the election to proceed.
Men dressed in black also destroyed all election material demanding to see the delegates' register.
Soon after the chaos started, CORD leader Raila Odinga, former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and other VIPs were quickly whisked out of the venue.
Attempts by the outgoing Secretary General Anyang Nyong’o to restore order were largely unsuccessful as his calls for calm to be restored were ignored.
Mwaura later told journalists that his discontent stemmed from the fact that there was a preferred list, which was my problem… that is not justice.
Before trouble started, Mwaura climbed on top of one of the tables,“to attract attention because people were ignoring me. I tried talking to them, no one even cared to explain what was happening.”
Mwaura was rescued from an agitated team of security officers who accused him of attempts to destabilize the party.
But the men who ‘rescued’ him went ahead to destroy the ballot boxes and break tables.
Nyong’o later said he had convened a National Governing Council meeting on Monday to decide when the party will hold elections at the earliest opportunity.
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