UDA party presidential candidate William Ruto on Monday announced he had cancelled all his Kenya Kwanza rallies which the coalition had slated for Tuesday.
This was announced by UDA digital strategist Dennis Itumbi, who shared the news on a post on his social media pages.
Itumbi says the move is meant to give DP Ruto sufficient time to prepare for the presidential debates which has been scheduled for the Catholic University for Eastern Africa (CUEA).
“Ruto cancels all rallies scheduled for Tomorrow, Tuesday, 26th July, 2022. To enable him prepare for the Presidential Debate," the post by Itumbi reads.
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Ruto was slated to campaign in Baringo, Nakuru and Nyandarua counties on Tuesday but he will not take his bottom up and wheelbarrow economics to the said areas at a later date.
At a campaign rally in his political backyard of Uasin Gishu and Nandi counties on Monday, the DP begged his Azimio La Umoja rival Raila Odinga to face him in the presidential debate.
"I want to encourage my competitor, Mr Kitendawili, reconsider coming for the debate, I will be waiting for you," said Ruto.
Ruto alleged that Raila’s Azimio coalition party did not have an agenda to sell to the Kenyan electorate hence the former Prime Minister’s decision to give the debate a wide berth.
This comes a day after Azimio Presidential Secretariat spokesperson Makau Mutua issued a statement saying Raila will skip the debate raising issue with Ruto’s integrity and ethics.
"That is why we do not intend to share a national podium with a person who lacks decency. As is well known, our opponent traversed the country hurling epithets at us and other key national leaders, including vile, sexists attack," Prof Mutua said in the statement.
This comes over a fortnight after the DP Ruto threatened that he would skip the presidential debate accusing the media of being biased against him and his Kenya Kwanza coalition.
Ruto alleged that there was continued bias and propaganda in a section of the media and was non-committal on his attendance, a position openly supported by other party leaders.