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Kisumu residents have lauded the ward debates that have enabled them to listen to aspiring MCAs, as they sell their agendas to the people.
The debate dubbed Know your leader is a project initiated by a non-governmental organisation, 2X Empower.
The residents now want the same debates held for MPs, governors and senators and women rep aspirants.
Market Milimani ward resident, Camlus Oteng’o, said the project has created the platform for electorates to engage with aspirants and interrogate their campaign manifestos.
“Kenyans have been voting without making informed decisions. Today, we have listened and evaluated our leaders to know if they meet our needs,” Oteng’o said.
He said going forward the debates will help electorates to vote in leaders based on their ideologies and not those chosen for them.
He appealed to the event organisers to consider scaling up the programme and incorporate other candidates.
“We want them to debate their agenda before we can decide,” Oteng’o said.
He spoke during the MCAs aspirants debate for the Market Milimani ward on Friday.
Incumbent Seth Ochieng, George Abwajo, Faustine Omondi, Hellen Apiyo, Edward Ajwang, Catherine Achieng and Isaac Oburu attended and marketed their candidature at Mama Grace Social Hall.
Programme officer, 2x Empower, Leslie Okura said low voter education among the electorates on the basic roles of MCAs informed the decision to initiate the course.
He said the organisation gives those eyeing MCA seats to debate their agenda before the public.
The 2X Empower, Okura said, has created the platform for electorates to engage with aspirants and interrogate their campaign manifestos ahead of the polls to make the right choices.
In the last general election, Okura said the electorates lacked such a forum to enable them to elect the right and development-oriented leaders.
“We are happy because our expectations have been achieved because we have established the electorates were lacking such forums to make informed decisions to elect leaders they want,” he said.
Ken Ogutu, 2 X Empower advocacy officer, said the programme seeks to play a pivotal role in ensuring electorates make informed choices at the ballot.
Ogutu said over the recent past there has been an outcry from the public over poor governance and that is the gap the 2x empower is out to bridge.
“We are giving the platform for the electorates to interact with those who are aspiring to lead them in the various levels,” he said.
Ogutu said the platform is being conducted in the 35 wards within Kisumu.
The organisation has conducted more than five debates in various wards in the county.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
