The
much-publicized election debate in Kenya has ended on a sad note after
the President of the country refused to appear for the debate.
President Uhuru Kenyatta
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Kenya on Monday night failed to show up
for a debate, leaving opposition presidential candidate Raila Odinga to
fielded questions alone on stage.
Odinga, who is the flagbearer for the National Super Alliance
coalition, said his top priorities if elected in the Aug. 8 general
election would be to lower food prices and rent.
He also promised to tackle youth unemployment.
“First is the issue of putting food on the table, reducing the cost of living for the people. This is our priority number one.
“We address the issues of flour, so that we can lower the prices of maize flour, sugar,” he said.
He said to lower rent he would enforce the existing rent restrictions act. “This law is meant to protect the poor from exploitation by the landlords,” Odinga said.
The office of Kenyatta, who is running for a second and final
five-year term in office, gave no explanation for his absence. On
Sunday, he answered questions online and pledged to create 6.5 million
jobs in the next five years if elected.
Odinga said his administration would continue to invest in
infrastructure, education and training, small businesses and a high-tech
economy.
Kenyans are also due to choose on Aug. 8 legislators and local
representatives for the first time since 2013, when the elections passed
peacefully after the opposition challenged the results in court.
The presidential television debate is the second ever held in the
country after a similar one in 2013. A separate debate was held earlier
in the evening among three other candidates and three more who did not
show up. The debate organisers said the earlier debate was for
candidates who polled 5 percent or less in two national opinion polls.
According to polling firm IPSOS, Kenyatta and Odinga are likely to
take about 90 per cent of the vote, while none of the six independent
presidential candidates is polling above one per cent.
Opinion polls show the gap between Odinga and Kenyatta has closed.
Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party has also promised to provide free, quality
primary healthcare for all Kenyans; free secondary education;
affordable housing and connect every citizen to the electricity grid by
2020.
The opposition coalition National Super Alliance manifesto also
promises to reform the public sector, set up a universal health service
fund and tackle corruption.
-Reuters/NAN
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)
No comments:
Post a Comment