Fireworks expected as Gachagua, Karua faceoff in Deputy Presidential debate
By Wycliffe Nyamasege, July 19, 2022Preparations for the deputy presidential debate set for Tuesday night are complete.
All four candidates eyeing the deputy president position are expected to attend the debate hosted at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Karen, Nairobi.
The four are Rigathi Gachagua of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party, Martha Karua (Azimio – One Kenya coalition), Ruth Mucheru Mutua (Agano) and Roots party’s Justina Wambui.
The debate will proceed in two tiers.
The first tier will feature candidates whose popularity ratings, based on recent opinion polls, stand below 5 per cent, while the second tier will involve candidates who have polled above 5 percent.
Recent polls show that the Azimio duo of Raila Odinga and Karua lead in popularity as the country heads to the polls slated for August 9. Kenya Kwanza’s William Ruto and Gachagua follow closely.
The latest poll by Infotrak shows that Raila and Ruto are leading in popularity with 43 per cent and 37 per cent ratings respectively. Roots party’s George Wajackoyah and Agano party’s David Mwaure were ranked third and fourth with 4 per cent and 0.1 per cent respectively.
Karua and Gachagua duel
Karua and Gachagua will be paired in the much-anticipated session.
Christened the ‘Iron Lady’ due to her no-nonsense demeanour, Karua will face off with an abrasive Gachagua, famed for shooting from the hip.
If the recent rallies, where the candidates have been trading jabs, are anything to go by, the session is likely to be highly charged.
NTV’s James Smart and KTN News’ Sophia Wanuna will moderate the Karua-Gachagua duel from 8:00 pm to 9: 30pm.
Mutua and Wamae will go first from 5:00 pm. They will be moderated by KTN News presenter Zubeida Koome and Citizen TV’s Francis Gachuri.
The presidential debate will be conducted on July 26 at the same venue.