All is set for the much-anticipated Deputy Presidential debate which will be held today from 5 pm at the Catholic University for Eastern Africa (CUEA) in Karen, Nairobi.
The debate will consist of four candidates vying for the position of deputy president on joint presidential tickets and are expected to explain their priorities, public policies, and governance agenda.
The four include Azimio One-Kenya Alliance presidential running mate Martha Karua, Rigathi Gachagua (Kenya Kwanza Alliance), Ruth Mucheru Mutua (Agano Party), and Justina Wambui (Roots Party).
The tone and pace of today’s debate are intended to establish the tone and pace for the next presidential debate.
Through a statement, the Presidential Debate Secretariat stated that the debate will be held in two tiers, starting at 5 pm with candidates whose popularity rating based on three recent opinion polls is less than 5 per cent.
It will be followed by candidates with above 5 per cent popularity rating who will face off each from 7 pm to 10 pm
“Under the presidential debate rules, the moderators will select the questions to be asked and shall not share the same with candidates,” said Clifford Machoka, Head of the Presidential Debate Secretariat.
Citizen TV’s Trevor Ombija will moderate the pre-debate and post-debate analysis from 5 pm.
Linda Alela of TV47 and John Jacob Kioria of KBC will moderate the first-tier debate while KTN’s Sophia Wanuna will moderate the second debate together with NTV’s James Smart.
The first-tier debate will be held from 6:00 pm to 7.30 pm while the second tier debate will run from 8 pm to 10 pm.
Speculation was rife that Gachagua will not attend the debate however yesterday the Mathira Member of Parliament confirmed his attendance for the highly anticipated session.
WSR Campaign Communications Director Hussein Mohammed said in a statement that Kenyan media outlets have been biased in covering the Kenya Kwanza alliance team’s campaign rallies.
“We have noted with much concern the repeated and continued bias and propaganda in a section of Kenya’s mainstream media in abuse of statutory law,” he said.
Gachagua and Karua will square off in the debate’s second round, which will pit the deputies of the leading Presidential contenders against each other.
The showdown between the two could help bring clarity because it will be about their presidential ambitions in many respects.
The discussion will be divided into two halves, with the first beginning at 5 pm and including candidates with less than a 5 per cent popularity rating according to three recent opinion polls, it will be followed by candidates with a popularity rating of more than 5 per cent, who will compete from 7 pm to 10 pm.
The first debate session will pit Agano party running mate Mutua against George Wajackoyah’s running mate Wamae.
Rigathi Gachagua
Gachagua is Deputy President William Ruto’s running mate, with the assumption that he will be able to gain more votes around the country alongside him.
Between 2001 and 2006, Gachagua served as the Personal Assistant to incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta as he was previously a District Officer.
He is the current MP for Mathira Constituency on a Jubilee Party ticket in 2017.
Gachagua is facing court charges of being charged with acquiring more than Sh7.3 billion suspected to be proceeds of crime.
After his unveiling, the DP handed Gachagua his first task which is drawing up a road map of how the coalition will pick charters from all the counties that will present their top agendas so that the coalition can kick start its work upon election.
Martha Karua
Karua is a seasoned politician who formerly served as the Member of Parliament for Gichugu. She is also an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya.
Karua contested for the presidency in 2013 under the Narc-Kenya ticket, becoming the third woman to run for the highest office in the country after Charity Ngilu, and Wangari Maathai in the 1997 elections.
Karua is set to become Kenya’s first female Deputy President if her leader, Raila Odinga, wins the August election.
Ruth Mucheru
Agano Party’s David Mwaure Waihiga’s running partner Mucheru is a communication professional who is passionate about battling corruption in the country.
She graduated from the University of Nairobi with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Sociology.
Justina Wambui
Wamae is a 35-year-old businesswoman turned politician who is in the excavation industry and supply of building materials.
She was chosen as the running mate after applying for the role, she holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Management Information Systems.