NASA flag bearer Raila Odinga and his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka at a past rally. [Photo/the-star]
National Super Alliance (Nasa) co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka has revealed how him and the Nasa flag bearer Raila Odinga tricked president Uhuru Kenyatta to skip the presidential debate.
The debate that saw only four presidential candidates attend, was conducted Monday, July 24, at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Karen, Nairobi.
The first part of the debate which was to have six candidates, was attended by Ekuru Aukot, Japhet Kavinga, Michael Wainana. Abduba Dida, Cyrus Jirongo and Joe Nyanga snubbed it.
The second part of the debate which was to be between Uhuru and Raila, saw only the Nasa flag bearer attend it with the president failing to show up.
Uhuru’s absence at the debate gave Raila an opportunity of 90 minutes to woo Kenyan voters to elect him in the upcoming August 8 polls.
Speaking on Tuesday at Nthongony, Makueni county during a series of Nasa campaign rallies, Kalonzo said his move to give a wide berth the running mates’ debate that was held on July 17, was a plot to make Uhuru think that Raila would also skip the presidential debate.
“We tricked them. We knew those guys fear being accountable to the citizens and that is why I told Raila to sieze the moment,” said Kalonzo as quoted by Daily Nation.
The president had earlier indicated he would not attend the debate saying he wasn’t consulted by the organisers’ of the debate.