The presidential debate scheduled for Tuesday, July 26, is still on despite Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga’s decision to chicken out.
The debate will take place at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa’s main campus in Karen from 4pm to 10pm, said Clifford Machoka, the head of the presidential debate team
“The Kenya Presidential Debates Secretariat 2022 has taken note of the positions taken by the Kenya Kwanza and the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition party regarding their participation in the 2022 presidential debate,” Mr Machoka said in a statement on Sunday.
He added that under presidential debate guidelines, the team had shared the thematic areas with all candidates and the moderators will endeavour to cover them.
Guidelines for moderators
Under the guidelines, moderators are not supposed to meet with candidates or members of their campaign teams until the debate is over.
“Once again, we wish to reiterate our commitment to delivering a debate founded on the principles of fairness, integrity, independence and accountability as enshrined in the presidential debates guidelines,” the statement read.
The statement came barely a day after Mr Odinga’s campaign team said he would not participate in the debate.
In a statement from his campaign secretariat, Mr Odinga argued that debating DP Ruto “is not a good idea”.
“Our main opponent has proven over the course of his career he will do and say anything in his ungovernable greed for power. Today, as his campaign flails and supporters abandon him, he has become more desperate,” read the statement.
Mr Odinga's threat to snub the debate came after Roots Party presidential candidate George Wajackoyah called for equal opportunity for all candidates as a condition for his attending the debate.
Saying that Prof Wajackoyah must be allowed to debate alongside Mr Odinga and Dr Ruto, Roots Party spokesman Wilson Muirani also questioned the polls that showed its leader has less than five per cent popularity among voters.
