Moses Kuria maintains DP Ruto and Rigathi Gachagua will not attend presidential

With days to the presidential and deputy presidential debate, Gatundu South MP and Chama Cha Kazi party leader Moses Kuria has maintained that despite warming up to the media and attending several media interviews, Deputy President William Ruto and his running mate Rigathi Gachagua will not attend the 2022 debates.

Kuria maintained that the media is biased and keen on maligning Kenya Kwanza candidates hence the duo of Rigathi and Ruto will not provide them that opportunity.

Citing a recent statement by KTN’s Zubeida Koome to Johnson Sakaja during the Nairobi gubernatorial debate, the Kiambu gubernatorial hopeful insisted that the media has taken sides, leaving Kenya Kwanza bigwigs with no option but to make a final decision to skip the debates altogether.

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Kiambu gubernatorial aspirant Moses Kuria with Kenya Kwanza presidential candidate Dr William Ruto Pulse Live Kenya

Taking to his Facebook page on Friday, July 17, Kuria, who had earlier accompanied Ruto and his team to rallies in Kiambu county, wrote that the Kenya Kwanza candidates will not attend the July 19, and July 26.

"The Zubeida Koome "Is your name Sakaja?" Is a clear indicator of the media bias that Kenya Kwanza has been complaining of. The Kenya Kwanza Alliance will NOT participate in both the Running Mate debate and the Presidential Debate and that is FINAL," Kuria wrote.

Ruto has on numerous occasions bashed the media alleging bias and reporting the same to the electoral body, Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) seeking its intervention.

Moses Kuria during a Kenya Kwanza campaign rally in Nakuru County on June 24, 2022 Pulse Live Kenya

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In the wake of the attacks, Kenya Kwanza presidential campaign Communications Director Hussein Mohamed issued a press statement on Friday with just days to the debates.

The communications director noted that he has done his part in advising the duo on the prevailing media environment and it was now up to them to decide whether to participate in the debates or not.

“Whether or not the UDA presidential candidate and deputy will appear for debates is a matter that firmly rests with them. I and the team have advised them given the current media environment. That advice was legitimized by a monitoring report in June conducted by MCK,” stated Mohamed.