Jubilee and NASA presidential candidates pull out of presidential debate that was set for July 10, 2017
Jubilee party Secretary General, Raphael Tuju confirmed the President’s absence saying no one had contacted the party regarding the debate.
Raila Odinga then pulled out of the debates as well, hours after the president announced that he did not plan to attend.
Jubilee Party Vice Chairman David Murathe added, “There was insufficient consultation and the party has taken issue with the format of the debates.” Further, the Head of State’s handlers say that his diary is already filled up till election date. “The president’s campaign schedule is already drawn up till the last day of campaigns, no consultations on dates and venue of debate have been made”
NASA on the other hand in a press statement, their Chief Publicist Salim Lone said Mr Odinga will not be present due to current proposed format and stipulation.
The Debates Media Limited committee together with the Kenyan media houses’ journalists in May declared the official Kenya Presidential Debate dates at Radisson Blu Hotel.
However, the NASA Presidential Campaign Secretariat has urged President Kenyatta to be open to debating Raila Odinga on the issues affecting Kenyans in the present circumstances.
Eight of Presidential candidates were set to go head to head in televised debates on 10th, and 24thJuly, ahead of the Aug 8th elections. The debates see the candidates reach out to a wide audience to present how they plan to govern the country once elected.