• The secretariat said it had shared thematic areas with presidential candidates.
• The secretariat also confirmed that the debate will go on as scheduled on Tuesday, July 26 at the Catholic University for Eastern Africa.
Image: COURTESY
The 2022 Presidential debate secretariat has insisted that questions asked will be selected by the moderators.
In a statement responding to concerns raised by Azimio la Umoja and Kenya Kwanza coalitions, the secretariat said it had shared thematic areas with presidential candidates.
"We affirm as per the Presidential Debates Guidelines, the moderators will select the questions to be asked, and shall not share the same with the candidates. They will not meet with any of the campaign teams or the candidates," the secretariat said on Sunday.
Adding, "We have shared the thematic areas with all the candidates and the moderators will endeavour to cover all the said topics within the set timeline."
The secretariat also confirmed that the debate will go on as scheduled on Tuesday, July 26 at the Catholic University for Eastern Africa (CUEA) main campus in Karen, from 4 pm to 10 pm.
On Sunday morning, Azimio spokesman Makau Mutua in a statement said the coalition noted that having the candidates- DP William Ruto and Raila- on the same platform this year would be a bad idea.
Mutua claimed Ruto had issued his reservations telling the moderators not to focus on corruption and integrity- issues which Azimio wanted to take centre stage.
“Our opponent has no regard for ethics, public morals or shame, that is why he has demanded that the debate not focus on corruption, integrity, ethic and governance- the key existential question that Kenya faces. These issues sit at the core of the Azimio campaign. Any debate devoid of these questions will be an insult to the intelligence of Kenyans,” he said.
“That is why we do not intend to share a national podium with a person who lacks decency. As is well known, our opponent traversed the country hurling epithets at us and other key national leaders, including vile, sexists attack.”
Mutua said, instead Raila and his running mate Martha Karua plan to hold a televised town hall to explain to Kenyans the Azimio agenda.
Last week Ruto's campaign secretariat issued conditions to the presidential debate organisers asking them to make public the time allocated for the candidates to ventilate their plans for Kenyans.
He took issue with the manner in which the deputy presidential debate was conducted saying despite millions watching, none of the topical issues bedevilling them was asked.
Hussein Mohamed said the interviewers instead trivialised the debate by discussing personalities and political relationships.
"While we do not object to the questions being asked in the debates, we object to trivialising such engagements to the detriment of Kenyans," he said.