Ruto withdraws from planned presidential debate, cites media bias

United Democratic Alliance (UDA) presidential candidate William Ruto has withdrawn from the planned presidential debate by the Kenyan media.

WSR Campaign Communications Director Hussein Mohammed said Kenyan media houses have been biased in covering campaign rallies conducted by the Kenya Kwanza team.

"We have noted with much concern the repeated and continued bias and propaganda in a section of Kenya’s mainstream media in abuse of statutory," he said.

The debate, whose exact date is yet to be announced, will be conducted next month.

Ruto advised to skip debate

"Under the current partisan media environment, we have advised our candidate against participating in the presidential debate," Hussein added.

Mohammed said journalists, media practitioners, and media enterprises have to be fair, and accurate and report all sides of the story.

"This has been deliberately contravened, ignored, and bravely abused by the sections of the media," he said.

Media Owners Association, Media Council of Kenya, and Kenya Editors Guild are organising the debating session for presidential candidates every election season.