Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya coalition presidential running mate Martha Karua and her UDA party counterpart Rigathi Gachagua will face off in the much-anticipated Deputy Presidential Debate on Tuesday evening.
The televised debate at the Catholic University for Eastern Africa (CUEA) main campus in Karen, Nairobi will be conducted in two tiers, with the first featuring candidates whose popularity ratings, based on three recent opinion polls, stand below 5 percent while the second tier will involve candidates who have polled above 5 percent in the same surveys.
In the first tier debate, Roots Party Presidential candidate George Wajackoyah’s running mate Justina Wamae will go head-to-head with Ruth Mutua who is deputizing Agano Party of Kenya flagbearer Waihiga Mwaure. The first tier debate to be held between will be moderated by Linda Alela of TV47 and Jacob Kioria of KBC.
Karua (64) and Gachagua (57) will lock horns in the second tier debate that will be moderated by Sophia Wanuna of KTN News and James Smart of NTV. Panel discussions for both debates will be moderated by Trevor Ombija of Citizen TV.
Despite earlier indications by the Kenya Kwanza Alliance that he would skip the event, Gachagua confirmed attendance when he visited the venue of the debate at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) on Monday evening where he was briefed on ground rules by a team led by the secretariat lead Clifford Machoka.
Kenyans who wish to participate in the Deputy Presidential Debate can send a 30-second clip of their questions via WhatsApp number 0796 560560 or SMS it to 22843.
Ndugu Rigathi Gachagua:…
Ndugu Rigathi Gachagua:
Nakuomba tafadhali umwuulize rafiki yako Ndugu Samoei akuambie kwa nini mpaka sasa hajajitahidi kuchunguza wote waliohusika na kuwateketezea watoto, wazee, na akina mama 37 katika kanisa la Kiambaa huko Eldoret?
Watu wengi wameandika kuhusu jambo hilo na rafiki yako hajajitahidi hata kidogo kuchukua hata dakika moja kujibu swali hilo.
Pili, kwa nini mpaka sasa hajajitahidi kujenga kanisa jingine mahali hapo Kiambaa, Eldoret? Nilistaajabu kusikia rafiki yako akisema atajenga kanisa katika ikulu. Nakuomba umwonye ya kwamba, hatutaki makanisa bandia ya kigeni kujengwa kwenye jumba letu la taifa.
Mwishowe, mwulize aache kuwalazimisha watu wengine kufuata dini yake bandia ya kigeni na pia ya kikoloni anapowashurutisha watu wa imani nyingine kwa maombi yake.
Kwa nini mpaka sasa Ndugu Samoei hajaelewa ya kwamba makanisa ya kigeni yalikuwa mojawapo ya njia wakoloni waliitumia kuwatawala watu fikira zao kwa kuwadanganya juu ya “mwokozi” wa Wayahudi ambaye hana uhusiano wowote na imani yetu, historia yetu, na pia utamaduni wetu.
Kwa kumalizia, ningependa kukukumbusha ya kwamba, si sisi pekee tuliotawaliwa na Waingereza. Waingereza walitawala nchi ya India karibu miaka 200. Lakini, Wahindi walikataa kabisa kuwa wafuasi wa dini ya Waingereza ya kikoloni, pia walikataa kuitwa na kuyachukua majina ya Kiingereza (kama William), kula chakula cha Waingereza. Lakini walijifunza lugha ya Kiingereza ili waweze kujua fikira na utapeli wa Waingereza. Hawakudharau lugha zao kama sisi tunavyodharau lugha zetu za kiasili na pia lugha yetu ya taifa – yaani Kiswahili.
Ningependa kujua: Kwa nini mlijadiliana (debate) kwa lugha ya kikoloni badala ya kutumia Kiswahili, lugha ambayo inasemwa na kujulikana sana nchini kuliko Kiingereza?