Kenya

Kikuyu Member of Parlianment, Kimani Ichungwa will not represent Deputy President William Ruto in the Presidential running mate debate as it was reported by a cross section of the Kenyan media earlier.

Deputy President William Ruto and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka failed to show up for the first ever presidential running mates debate

In an exclusive interview with Capital FM on Thursday morning, the DP said the Jubilee Party had not been adequately engaged apart from receiving letters of invitation to attend the debates.

State House has outlined reasons why President Uhuru Kenyatta refused to debate Opposition leader Raila Odinga.

Contrary to the excuses offered, both camps were fully apprised of the debate by the organisers. Their campaign secretariats were briefed on the proposed dates, the debate format and the ground rules.

At the very least, we need to persuade the major presidential candidates to agree to face-to-face televised debates.

Televised pre-election debates are a new concept in Africa. Kenya held its first ever debate for the 2013 presidential hopefuls, but it was just that; a show that provided temporary entertainment. It did not add value to the quality of the campaigns; neither did it occasion any discernible shift in

Eliud Muthiora Kariara is the only presidential running mate that showed up for the debate on Monday evening. He is a running mate for Dr. Japheth Kavinga who is eyeing the presidency in the August 2017 elections.

Jubilee and NASA differed on the planned Presidential Debate as their running mates kept off a similar event last night.

In Kenya, presidential debates account for far less political influence, compared to political rallies. Politicians generally fear debates for many reasons: Debates are mainly a Truth-o-Meter, a factual scale of sorts. Politicians are not allowed to run away with the lies they are used to peddling

Yesterday, Raila told Uhuru to reconsider, confirming that the opposition is ready to participate in the debate once the President changes his mind.

Why the other candidates were not present was unclear although some had already voiced objections to the debate format. Broadcasters had planned to have six minor candidates, including Kariara, take the stage first, with the front-runners from the two biggest parties facing off separately later.