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STATUS REPORT ON THE ODM COUNTY OFFICES (AUGUST 2019,

SEPTEMBER 2019 & OCTOBER 2019)

1. INTRODUCTION The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is one of the largest political parties in Kenya. It has

key structures starting with the National Delegate Conference (NDC), followed by National

Governing Council (NGC) to the National Executive Committee (NEC) that all together interact

with the vast membership of ODM Party, led by the Right Hon Raila Amollo Odinga.

ODM has adopted a performance oriented structure where a results based approach is used to

ensure the secretariat interacts for effective decision making, with all organs of the party at the

National and regional levels. These include the Regional Delegates Conference, the County

Delegates Conference, The Branch Executive Committee, the Sub Branch executive committee

and the Polling Station Steering Committee. At the County Level, The Party has the County

Coordination Committee that is tasked with the coordination of the ODM County affairs.

At the ODM Party retreat held on the 27th -28th June 2019 at Nakuru, the party resolved to revamp

its County Party Offices in all the 47 Counties. This entailed the funding of the County Offices to

ensure that these we all optimally functional. This involves, through the coordination of the County

Officials ensuring that each of the Counties had an operational account that the Party would deposit

the County funds into. It also entailed opening an office and staffing that office as well as making

it operational by having in it office equipment and also ODM materials specially the Party

Constitution, the Party Registration book, all these aimed at strengthening the Parties

functionalities at grassroots level. It is important to note at this point that some Counties were

already operational and the report of the status of All County Offices was given at the Nakuru

meeting (Appendix I) of this report.

This report delves into the current State of County Offices since August 2019 when funds were

availed to 20 Counties that had by then opened their accounts in the order in which the Account

details were received at the Party. As much as the Party would have liked to fund all offices, it was

planned that the Party will start with the first 20 Counties with Operational bank accounts as it

continued to build up for the next ready 20 Counties (Set B). At the moment a total of 34 Counties

have opened their bank accounts.

2. COUNTY OFFICES 1-20 The County offices are in the order in which the Account details were received at the Party.

I. NYANDARUA COUNTY

Prior to August 2019, the County did not have a County office, rather the Ndaragwa and Olkalau

constituency offices were the ones that were open. Therefore the CCC identified an office along

Nyahururu Olkalau Highway opposite tower Sacco office next to NCPB. The County is up to date

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as regards receipt of its August, September and October 2019 remittances of for each month.

II. SIAYA COUNTY

The County re-opened their office in August 2019 at Awelo in Siaya town, therefore the County

retained its previous office which had been closed due to rent arrears. The County is up to date as

regards receipt of its August, September and October 2019 remittances. The office of the SG is

in receipt of the County’s August, September and October 2019 monthly remittance returns, the

requisite documentation are all in order. It is notable that the County office is in the process of

paying off its debts on a monthly basis.

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III. MIGORI COUNTY

The County office has been operational even before the campaign to revamp the offices begun.

The office is located behind the governor’s office, in Suna East. The County is up to date as regards

receipt of its August, September and October 2019 remittances. The office of the SG is in receipt

of the County’s August 2019 monthly remittance returns.

IV. TRANS-NZOIA COUNTY

The County has an office located at Saboti. The County is up to date as regards receipt of its

August, September and October 2019 remittances. The office of the SG is in receipt of the

County’s August, September and October 2019 monthly remittance returns. The office employed

a secretary who is paid a monthly allowance.

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V. KISUMU COUNTY

The County ran Constituencies office at Kisumu Central and opened its County office in August

2019. The county used to hold their meetings at Ofafa Hall. Since August 2019, the County CCC

met and chose an office at the same Ofafa hall, along Kisumu/Kakamega road. The County is up

to date as regards receipt of its August, September and October 2019 remittances.

VI. MACHAKOS COUNTY

Prior to the campaign to open and revamp offices in all the Counties, Machakos had a County

office which had been closed due to rent arrears. The County has since opened an office at Ngei

Estate along Nairobi Machakos road. The County is up to date as regards receipt of its August,

September and October 2019 remittances.

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VII. EMBU COUNTY

The County’s previous office was closed due to rent arrears. The county has since acquired

another office in Runyejes and is currently paying its rent on time. The County is up to date as

regards receipt of its August, September and October 2019 remittances. The office of the SG is in

receipt of the County’s August, September and October 2019 monthly remittance returns, the

requisite documentation are all in order.

VIII. MAKUENI COUNTY

The previous County office was closed for 2017 elections. A new office was opened in October

2019, and is located in Makueni, plot No UNOA. The County is up to date as regards receipt of

its August, September and October 2019 remittances. The office of the SG is in receipt of the

County’s August, September and October 2019 monthly remittance returns. The County is yet to

submit the receipts of rent paid for August, September and October, all other documentation as

per document are in order.

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IX. MARSABIT COUNTY

The County office has been operational since 2017. The office is located in Moyale town. As of

August 2019, the office had rent and salary arrears from January 2016 to June 2019; rent arrears.

The County is up to date as regards receipt of its August, September and October 2019

remittances. The office of the SG is in receipt of the County’s August, September and October

2019 monthly remittance returns, the requisite documentation are all in order.

X. HOMABAY COUNTY

The County has had an office since 2006, located in Homabay town, BayChem shop building,

behind the post office directly facing modern bus stage. The County is up to date as regards

receipt of its August, September and October 2019 remittances. The County submitted its

remittance returns for the months of August and September 2019, physically to the ODM HQ

office. The October returns have been received via email and are in order.

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XI. LAIKIPIA COUNTY

The County office is located in Nanyuki. Before the campaign to fund County offices began, Hon

Member Lempurkel was paying the rent as well as the rent for the ODM constituency offices. The

County is up to date as regards receipt of its August, September and October 2019 remittances.

The County is yet to submit its August, September and October returns of the monthly

remittance. Efforts to regularize are underway.

XII. BUNGOMA COUNTY

The County office has been operational since 2016, the office is located just before Bungoma town.

The office had rent arrears, which the county has been paying off on a monthly basis. The County

is up to date as regards receipt of its August, September and October 2019 remittances.

Currently, the County has submitted its August 2019 returns, but yet to submit September or

October returns of the monthly remittance. Efforts to regularize are underway.

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XIII. NANDI COUNTY

The county office is operational at Kapsabet. The County is up to date as regards receipt of its

August, September and October 2019 remittances. The County is yet to submit its August,

September or October returns of the monthly remittance. Efforts to regularize are underway.

XIV. KWALE COUNTY

The County office has been operational and is located in Kwale town. Before the disbursement of

funds to the Counties, the county office rent and secretary allowance were being paid by Senator

Issa and Senator Zani. Prior to this, the office had accrued a rent arrears which both Senator Issa

and Zani paid off. The County is up to date as regards receipt of its August, September and

October 2019 remittances. The office of the SG is in receipt of the County’s August, September

and October 2019 monthly remittance returns, the requisite documentation are in order.

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XV. MOMBASA COUNTY

The County office is operational and is located in County office old Governor’s office. The County

is up to date as regards receipt of its August, September and October 2019 remittances. The

County is yet to submit its August, September or October returns of the monthly remittance.

Efforts to regularize are underway.

XVI. SAMBURU COUNTY

The County had an office for the 2013 elections which closed thereafter. Currently the office is in

Maralal township plot 190E. The previous office accrued a rent arrears of 3 months. The County is

up to date as regards receipt of its August, September and October 2019 remittances. The office of

the SG is in receipt of the County’s August and September 2019 monthly remittance. Efforts to

regularize are underway.

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XVII. GARISSA COUNTY

Office has been operational even before the campaign to revamp County offices begun. The

County office is currently located along Sankuri road, next to bliss hospital. The County is up to

date as regards receipt of its August, September and October 2019 remittances. The office of the

SG is in receipt of the County’s August, September and October 2019 monthly remittance

returns, though the County is yet to provide the requisite documentation that support expenditure.

The County office did not have any expenses in August as the CCC committee was yet to locate

an office, therefore all expenses began in September, though of particular notice is that the

County, paid a salary to the county manager, an amount which was flagged out as an anomaly

given the variations observed from the other Counties. The Chair has since explained that the

figure is not wholly dedicated to the managers salary, rather, the amount is inclusive of office

expenses such as tea, cleaner’s salary and office internet. Efforts to regularize are underway.

XVIII. TAITA TAVETA COUNTY

The County office has been operational since October 2018 and is located at Soko la Zamani

Mwatate. In 2018, Senator Zani did a tour of the County during the ODM County offices’ visit,

where she oversaw the opening and painting of the current ODM office. Thereafter, Senator Zani

begun paying rent of the newly opened office, this exercise has since been taken over by the

County office when remittances to the County began. The office of the SG is in receipt of the

County’s August, September and October 2019 monthly remittance returns, the requisite

documentation are all in order.

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XIX. NYAMIRA COUNTY

The County office has been operational and is located in Nyamira town. Before the drive to revamp

and fund the County offices Hon Bosire was paying the monthly rent. The County is up to date as

regards receipt of its August, September and October 2019 remittances. The office of the SG is

in receipt of the County’s August, September and October 2019 monthly remittance returns, the

requisite documentation are all in order.

XX. NAROK COUNTY

The County office is operational. The County is in receipt of the August remittance. The County

could not receive their September and October 2019 remittance because their account had

operationalization issues. This matter has since been sorted and the County will be paid within

the next disbursement.

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The above is the summary of all the 20 Counties under the ODM pilot funding exercise. This report

gives an assessment of the optimum deliverable on the level of adherence to compliance as

envisaged from the letter from the SG to the County Chairs,

As was mentioned earlier in this report, the consolidation of the next 20 counties to receive Party

funding for County offices began and reached 14 in total with 6 counties almost completing the

process of opening bank accounts. It is to be noted that these counties have been looking forward

to receiving these funds. Some of these counties have opened County offices and would wish to

be able to pay for them. Below, an example photos of Meru County. The 14 counties also have

operational bank accounts awaiting remittances and followed by the list of the 14 counties (Set B)

that have opened their bank accounts.

List of 21 to projected 40 counties (in order in which the bank accounts have been received)

21. Kirinyaga County

22. Muranga County

23. West Pokot County

24. Vihiga County

25. Kiambu County

26. Busia County

27. Kisii County

28. Kitui County

29. Bomet County

30. Elgeyo Marakwet County

31. Tana River County

32. Isiolo County

33. Mandera County

34. Meru County

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4. OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS This section consolidates observations and issues flagged out during the implementation period

as well as the recommendations proposed:-

A majority of Counties are submitting their returns beyond the mandatory 15th day of

the following month. It is recommended that the turn-around time between

disbursement and returns making is improved. There is a need of undertaking

capacity building and training of CCC at all levels on the proper use of the tools

required for making the returns. As well as further capacity building and training for

the next set of 20 to make the implementation process more seamless.

While assessing the optimum deliverable on payments which is the receipts, it is noted

that most Counties delay in providing this documentation necessitating follow ups.

Several Counties are paying expenditures such as rent and salaries in cash form. As

such Counties are encouraged to obtain cheque books for their bank accounts.

As a result of the variation in the amount of office rent and office manager/secretary

allowance paid, it is suggested that ODM introduces expenditures ceilings and capping

to enhance application of similar standards across the board for all the Counties.

A number of Counties are not able to get immediate feedback on the status of their

returns due to their unavailability of their officials on the WhatsApp forum, as well as

poor connectivity when follow up calls for verifications and feedback are undertaken,

which makes the work of verification time consuming. This has since been addressed

through the creation of a WhatsApp Group forum for the pilot 20 Funded Counties

which facilitates real time liaison with the SG office in order to clarify any matters.

The revamping of offices has strengthened party functionalities in the Counties, it is

therefore expected that the next phase of revamping the next 20 Counties be embarked

on.