Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Presidential candidate Raila Odinga was no show at the presidential debate held at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) in Karen, Nairobi on Tuesday night July 26, 2022.
Raila, in a statement released by the Spokesperson of his Presidential Campaign Secretariat Prof Makau Mutua, stated that a traditional debate structure with opposing candidates was a bad idea this year.
"In lieu of a traditional debate, we plan to take part in a televised town hall at Jericho social hall in Nairobi Eastlands with ordinary Kenyans to offer our solutions to challenges facing the country and common people," the statement read.
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Later after holding a series of rallies in Meru county on Tuesday, Raila announced on social media that his supporters had asked him not to attend the presidential debate.
Ground ndio imesema. #VoteBlue #Inawezekana pic.twitter.com/D8NPTIVpnM— Raila Odinga (@RailaOdinga) July 26, 2022
Raila, Wajackoyah skipped the debate
Roots party presidential candidate George Wajackoyah turned up at Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) for the debate before he stormed out of the venue protesting the format.
Wajackoyah had insisted that he would only participate in the debate if organizers did not split the four presidential candidates into two groups.
The Roots party flagbearer while speaking to the media said that he only went to the venue of the debate to confirm if organizers had met his demand to allow all four candidates to debate on one podium.
Wajackoyah and Raila's absence meant that Agano party's Waihiga Mwaure and UDA presidential candidate Deputy President William Ruto had to debate themselves.
