Azimio Spokesperson Makau Mutua during an interview with K24 on Monday, July, 25, explained the attributing factors to Raila Odinga’s declining to turn up for the debate.
Explaining the spokesperson and campaign secretariat revealed that Mathira Lawmaker Rigathi Gachagua influenced his leader’s choice to attend the presidential debate scheduled for today.
According to Prof Mutua, Gachagu’a focus on President Uhuru Kenyatta clearly indicated that the Kenya Kwanza team was ill-motivated and failed to offer debate guidelines of the manifesto elaboration.
A decision henceforth made by the Azimio presidential Candidate to reconsider his intentions to debate Deputy President William Ruto due to Gachagua’s conduct and statements during the debate.
The move by Raila to step out of the Presidential Debate was based on a fear that the Kenya Kwanza team will proceed in more breaching of the debate rules.
Prof Makau said, “He spent most of his time running against Uhuru who was not there. I think he broke many debate rules and pulled a piece of paper from his paper at some point. we are not sure whether he had an earpiece and was being instructed on what to say. He was not there to debate Karua but talk about Uhuru.”
In reference to the Running Mates debate, Prof Makau said as Azimio they weren’t so sure about letting Martha Karua debate the Kenya Kwanza running mate Gachagua Rigathi.
According to the Kenya Kwanza presidential secretariat Director of Communications, Hussein Mohammed, on the Gachagua- Karua debate, he said if the moderators are focused on personalities and relations then it’s pointless.
The move this Monday by Raila Odinga a proven warrior and fighter to the latter to withdraw from the presidential debate was astonishing. Recalling that he attended the 2017 debate alone despite his rival party President Uhuru Kenyatta opting to evade the debate.
Ruto has however unexpectedly urged his major opponent Raila to reconsider his decision stating that he was looking forward to engaging the former premier on issues facing Kenyans during the debate.
Calling on him to attend and justify their manifesto as he also remarked on the urge for his colleague to evade the debate based on a lack of agendas to share with the people.
