Kenya

According to well placed sources, the President has not been formally invited to the debates by the organisers.

Nairobi gubernatorial candidates will on Thursday subject each other to scrutiny in a debate to be hosted by the Kenya Alliance of the Residential Association (Kara).

However, given Raila’s current levels of aggressiveness, his dismissal of entire Kenyan institutions and those who now man them on Jubilee’s watch, including the Defence Forces, it is hard to see even the Presidential Debates scheduled for next month, going smoothly.

While the spots of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his main challenger Raila Odinga are assured in the debate, according to recent opinion polls, the other candidates will have to fight tooth and nail for the coveted position to explain to Kenyans their manifestos.

Those to be invited must command at least five per cent per cent popular support in opinion polls, according to guidelines released by organisers on Thursday.

The Orange Democratic Movement party director of election and Suna East MP Junet Mohamed yesternight, on Sunday gave demands for debates revealing that they expect the party leader who is the opposition coalition flag-bearer for presidency to only debate president Uhuru Kenyatta.

Ultimately, and despite the various questions and concerns, the debate is something worth waiting for, and definitively watching if not attending.

To dispense with the more immediate concerns, maybe the Debates Media Limited committee, which is organising these sessions, should tell us how they hope to accommodate all 18 aspirants on one podium and give each one enough time to expound on their agendas.

On Tuesday, May the 9th the Presidential Debate Steering Committee in conjunction with top journalists and executives drawn from nearly all media houses in the country announced the schedule for the presidential debate.

The first debate for presidential candidates will be held on July 10. A debate for running mates will follow on July 17 while the third and final presidential debate will be held on July 24.

Media houses in Kenya will host three presidential debates one month to the August General Election.

They are aimed at helping voters make informed choices, promoting national cohesion and steering campaigns towards the quality of leadership rather than personalities.