Raila postpones social hall meeting, skips Presidential Debate

The Azimio la Umoja One Kenya team has insisted that its presidential candidate Raila Odinga will not show up for the debate later this evening.

Mr Odinga's presidential press secretary Dennis Onsarigo on Tuesday said there will be no last-minute change of heart by the former Prime Minister.

However, Mr Onsarigo said Mr Odinga’s planned town hall meeting—which was to take place at Jericho Social Hall—has been postponed to a later date.

“We are not attending the Presidential debate; the town hall engagement pushed to a later date. Currently selling our agenda in Meru County,” he said.

This means that United Democratic Alliance (UDA) presidential candidate Dr William Ruto is set for a 90-minute monologue with the moderators.

This development is akin to the 2017 debate when President Uhuru Kenyatta skipped the forum and left the ODM honcho to hog the limelight.

The former Prime Minister's team insists that they are snubbing the debate over integrity issues portraying Dr Ruto as not worthy to share a podium with their candidate.

The DP has also hit out at his arch-rival saying that he doesn't have any agenda to explain to Kenyans assuring Kenyans that he will attend the debate to elaborate his plan for the country.

On Monday, the DP while on a campaign trail in his political bastion of the North Rift region, pleaded with Mr Odinga to turn up for the debate so as to tell Kenyans why he thwarted the government agenda with the March 9, 2018 handshake.

"My competitor has run away from the debate because he has no agenda, plan and idea of moving this country forward. I would like to request him to come for the debate because I am waiting for him so that I ask him why he interfered with our Big Four Agenda through handshake," said Dr Ruto while in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet.

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