Kikuyu constituency Kimani Ichungwa. [Photo/nation.co.ke]
Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungwa has come out to defend president Uhuru Kenyatta for snubbing the presidential debate.
Uhuru failed to show up for the debate on Monday, July 24 at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Karen, Niarobi county, citing lack of consultation from the organisers.
His main challenger, the National Super Alliance (Nasa) presidential candidate Raila Odinga, attended the debate and outlined Nasa’s agenda for the nation if elected to power in the upcoming August 8 polls.
Kenyatta’s absence at the debate elicited mixed reactions from Kenyans and leaders from the political divide.
Ichungwa said the president had a valid reason to skip the debate, noting only a foolish person would have missed the 90 minutes debate without a reason.
The Jubilee legislator explained that Uhuru refused to attend the debate because of its moderators. He alleged the two moderators, Joe Ageyo of KTN and Linus Kakai of NTV have links with Raila’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party.
"You would have to be foolish to miss a debate of free airtime, 90 minutes. One of the issues the Jubilee Party raised was on the moderators picked. There were very good reasons why President Uhuru chose not to attend,” said Ichungwa as quoted by Tuko.
"The president did not also go to the debate because Linus Kaikai was an ODM candidate in 2007 for the Kilgoris parliamentary nomination, today, he is part of this media house and organisers of the debate and Joe Ageyo is a beneficiary of the Jaramogi Odinga Foundation scholarship to study in Norway on climate change. They can choose to take me to court because I am saying this based on facts. These are pertinent issues that the President wanted addressed," added Ichung'wa.