I am ready to face off with Raila in presidential debate- MP Oscar Sudi
Kapseret Member of Parliament Oscar Sudi now says he is ready to take on Azimio - One Kenya coalition presidential candidate Raila Odinga in the debate slated for Tuesday, July 26.
Speaking at a rally in Uasin Gishu County on Monday, July 25, the controversial legislator said the Kenya Kwanza coalition had unanimously resolved to send him to represent Deputy President William Ruto at the debate.
He claimed the resolutions followed Suna East MP Junet Mohamed's claims that Azimio would send Embakasi East legislator Paul Ongili alias Babu Owino to face off with the Kenya Kwanza presidential flag bearer at the debates.
"Nilisikia jana Junet akisema atatuma yule kijana Babu Owino. Mimi nataka niambie Junet Mohamed nimeongea an huyu mdosi (Ruto) hapa na amenikubalia ya kwamba mimi najua mnaogopa kwa sababu hamna agenda, lakini mimi kwa team yetu ya Kenya Kwanza kila mtu amekubaliana ya kwamba Sudi aende afanye debate na mzee wa kuzimia," he said as he questioned Raila's academic qualifications.
Loosely translated, "I heard Junet saying he will send Babu Owino. I want to tell Junet Mohamed that I have spoken to Ruto and he has agreed to have me represent him at the debates. The entire Kenya Kwanza team has also agreed that I should debate the old man at the debates."
Junet had earlier stated that Raila would only attend the debate if the moderators agreed to focus on vital issues such as Integrity, corruption, and governance.
He noted that if the debate secretariat fails to meet their demand, they will send Babu Owino to debate Ruto.
In a subsequent rejoinder, Babu stated that he was willing to debate Ruto on the condition that he will not lie and mention the word wheelbarrow.
"I'm more than ready to debate Ruto on condition that he will not lie and will not mention the word wheelbarrow in the presence of an intellectual,
I'll send him into political oblivion, which is the entombment of the unworthy into their own dust of nothingness," Babu Owino wrote.
Raila to skip presidential debate
At the same time, Raila said he has no intention of attending the debate.
In a statement released by the Spokesperson of his Presidential Campaign Secretariat, Prof Makau Mutua, on Sunday, Raila said that a traditional debate structure with opposing candidates is a bad idea this year.
The former prime minister and his running mate Martha Karua will instead attend a town hall meeting at Jericho Social Hall in Nairobi's Eastlands to avert what they termed an anticipated 'empty self-serving political theatre.'
"Instead 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.
In a rejoinder, Ruto confirmed he will attend the presidential debate that will be held at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Karen, Nairobi.
Speaking at a rally in Kisii, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party leader said the debate offers the Kenya Kwanza coalition a platform to detail its agenda to the common man.
He tore into Raila for pulling out of the race, saying the ODM party leader chickened out of the debate because he doesn't have an agenda for Kenyans.
"He (Raila Odinga) has feared going for the debate because they have no plan and agenda. They have no policies to sell, which is why they are wondering what they will come to do in the debate. They cannot articulate any agenda because they have none," Ruto told Kisii residents.
