KENYA'S PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE 2017

Kenyan opposition presidential candidate Raila Odinga on Monday fielded questions alone on stage after his rival, President Uhuru Kenyatta, failed to show up for a debate between the two.

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 and 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, adding that his administration would continue to invest in infrastructure, education and training, small businesses and a high-tech economy, a statement from his office said.

President Uhuru had a few weeks ago indicated that he would not honour the invite after complaining that the organisers had not involved him to discuss and agree on the format and rules of engagement.   
"The position is that the President is not coming but if he decided to show up, that's his prerogative," Jubilee Party Vice President David Murathe communicated shortly before the debate kicked off on Monday evening.   The snub gave NASA Presidential Candidate Raila Odinga an opportunity over one hour in the second phase of the debate that followed an early one attended by three presidential candidates, to lay bare his vision for Kenya.   

The NASA leader said his first mission if elected will be to bring down the cost of living, address food shortage, create employment and also control rent.   "It's my fourth time I am running for the presidency. I represent change. The coalition that nominated me wants to bring change. We want to address mismanagement of the economy," he said.  

 Raila accused the Uhuru Kenyatta administration of over borrowing only to steal the same instead of investing in projects that can create jobs.   "Every shilling spent, another is stolen. As NASA we will address the issue of fiscal discipline and create employment."   When asked about a tallying centre in Tanzania, he responded; "Some things exist in some people's imagination. Why would someone be worried about a tallying centre even if it is in Germany, the United States or in the moon? Why should it be a matter of concern unless they are planning to rig? Yes we have a tallying centre in Kenya and in Kenya and in the clouds. The law does not stop anyone from having their own tallying centre."   

When asked to justify his constant claim on the use of the military to rig polls, Raila insisted that the experience of 2007 and 2013 and the information he has come across points to the claims saying that all the claims he has made can be substantiated.   "I was a Prime Minister and I used to sit in the security organs. I have information and no one can contradict. It's not the responsibility of the military to provide security internally without the express authority of parliament. There are 2 million Kenyans who went to the booth and only elected the President. We have said that the military should desist from the temptation of interfering with the results."