The 2022 Presidential Debate has just concluded at the main campus of the Catholic University of East Africa (CUEA) in Karen, Nairobi.
After his main rival, Raila Odinga of the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition, skipped the second tier of the debate, United Democratic Alliance presidential candidate William Ruto was the only candidate who took part.
The DP would be grilled for the next ninety minutes on Kenya’s debt, economy, integrity, food security, national security, cost of living, and governance.
He hinted once more that the March 2018 handshake and BBI initiative had sidelined him in the discharge of his duties during his and President Uhuru Kenyatta’s second term.
Netizens had mixed feelings about how the debate was moderated.
The debate’s second tier was moderated by KTN’s Eric Latiff and Citizen TV’s Yvonne Okwara, while the first tier was moderated by NTV’s Smriti Vidyarthi and Ken Mijungu of KTN News.
Ruto arrived with his wife, children, and relatives, as well as political allies.
Rigathi Gachagua, his running mate, was waiting for him at the debate venue an hour before his arrival.
Gladys Boss Sholei, an Uasin Gishu Woman Representative, was with Gachagua. The Gatundu South MP was also seen.
Prior to the arrival of the DP at half past seven o’clock, Agano Party presidential candidate David Mwaure debated alone.
This came after his Roots Party counterpart, Prof. George Wajackoyah, refused to participate in the debate.
Wajackoyah demanded that all presidential candidates debate on the same stage.
When his request was denied, the leader of the Roots party and his entourage stormed out of the venue in protest.
Wajackoyah and his running mate Justina Wamae claimed in a joint statement minutes later that their request had been denied.
Raila Odinga, the candidate for Azimio la Umoja, did not attend. On Sunday, his campaign’s secretariat opted out of the debate.
