DP Ruto’s terms for presidential debate
Deputy President William Ruto’s campaign secretariat has issued the terms of engagement they expect from the organisers of the much-anticipated Presidential Debate next week on Tuesday.
While confirming that the DP will attend the debate to face off with Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition presidential candidate Raila Odinga, the Director of Communications at the DP’s campaign secretariat Hussein Mohammed said they expect the moderators of the debate to focus on what is ailing Kenyans rather than trivialities.
“First we expect that the moderators will allocate equal time to issues affecting Kenyans and equally allow candidates a fair opportunity to address them,” Mohammed said on Thursday.
He further stated that the DP’s camp expects the moderators to focus on governance and integrity, agriculture, healthcare, Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME’s) and manufacturing, housing, the digital economy and foreign policy.
At the same time, the former TV news anchor faulted the moderators of the deputy presidential debate between Kenya Kwanza’s Rigathi Gachagua and Azimio la Umoja’s Martha Karua, that was held early this week, for allocating too much time on trivialities as opposed to more ‘important’ matters.
“We note with dismay that an overwhelming allocation of time was devoted to canvassing personality, political relationships and similarly trivial pursuits at the expense of the issues that Kenyans demand and deserve to know from campaigns,” Mohammed said.
Kenya Kwanza had initially hinted that Deputy President would snub the debate citing media bias, but on Thursday Mohammed confirmed that the DP would show up for the debate.
The event will bring together Dr Ruto and Mr Odinga in a second-tier debate, that will be preceded by a first-tier debate between Roots Party candidate Prof George Wajackoyah and David Mwaure Waihiga of Agano Party.