• The debate is being held at the Catholic University for Eastern Africa (CUEA) main campus in Karen, Nairobi.
• It will be moderated by Zubeida Koome of KTN and NTV's Mark Masai will moderate the second-tier.
Senator Johnson Sakaja of UDA will face off with his closest rival Polycarp Igathe of Jubilee in the Nairobi gubernatorial debate Monday at 8 pm.
This became apparent at the end of the first tier debate that featured governor hopefuls whose popularity ratings in three recent opinion polls stood below 5 per cent.
“Our second debate involves senator Johnson Sakaja of United Democratic Alliance party and Polycarp Igathe of the ruling Jubilee party and Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition political party and comes to you live at exactly 8 pm,” moderator Ayub Abdikadir said.
Earlier, Abdikadir said that Denise Kodhe had confirmed in writing that he would not attend the first debate.
He said two others candidates were absent without communication, without revealing their names.
But at the end of the first debate, it became clear that other than Kodhe, Cleophas Mutua of Ford Kenya Party and Agnes Kagure (Independent) were the other candidates absent without communication.
This left Igathe and Sakaja as the last two of nine candidates who were cleared by IEBC to contest for the seat.
Igathe was bullish ahead of the duel.
"I just expect that we shall show the maturity of the republic of Kenya especially in Nairobi. This is the sitting room and people behave very well in the sitting room," he said.
"We are going to demonstrate that we are ready to serve," he added.
He was accompanied by Rachel Shebesh, head of the Azimio campaigns in Nairobi.
"We just assure that Azimio is the team. We have a governor incoming who is sharp and brilliant and I think the people of Nairobi are going to see why we choose him," she said.
The four candidates who attended the first tier debate are Independent candidate Esther Waringa, Herman Grewal of Safina Party of Kenya, Nancy Mwadime of Usawa Kwa Wote party and Kenneth Nyamwamu of United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
The second debate will air between 8:00 pm and end at 9:30 pm at the Catholic University for Eastern Africa (CUEA) main campus in Karen.
It will be moderated by Zubeida Koome of KTN and NTV's Mark Masai will moderate the second-tier.