Kenya Kwanza Alliance Presidential flagbearer, William Ruto has confirmed he will attend the presidential debate slated for Tuesday 26th August at the Catholic University of East Africa (CUEA).
“On Tuesday, I will be at the debate because Kenyans want to make informed choices,” Ruto said.
Speaking in Kisii during his campaign rally, Dp Ruto said the debate will offer him a great chance to expound his bottom-up economic agenda.
“I will attend the debate because I want to explain to Kenyans the plan we have as Kenya Kwanza”.
Meanwhile, his political rival, the ODM Chief Raila Odinga pulled out of the event citing a lack of basic decency from his opponent.
“Any debate devoid of these questions would be an insult to the intelligence of Kenyans. That is why we do not intend to share a national podium with a person who lacks basic decency,” the secretariat’s spokesperson Prof Makau Mutua said in a statement released on Sunday.
DP Ruto has slammed the former premier for the move saying he has no agenda for Kenyans.
“He has feared going for the debate because they have no plan and agenda”, Ruto said during his public address.
Ruto went on to state that Raila cannot face him because he (Raila) knows he (Ruto) will ask difficult questions about corruption, state capture, and conflict of interest.
Azimio la Umoja One Kenya presidential flagbearer, on the other hand, said it would be a big mistake to reward their opponent with the national debate which they claimed would amount to helping his falling campaign.
Raila revealed that they will hold a televised town hall meeting at Jericho Social Hall in Nairobi’s Eastlands on Tuesday where ordinary Kenyans will be given a chance to offer solutions to the challenges facing the country.
According to the Presidential Debates Secretariat, the debate will proceed as planned. The Head of the Presidential Debate Secretariat Clifford Machoka, said the date, venue, and timelines of the debate remain unchanged.