Martha Karua Walks Out of COTU Presidential Debate

After the mainstream media organized the first ever presidential debate, the mainstream church leaders, Christian media and the National broadcaster in conjunction with Daystar University immediately followed it up with the first deputy presidential debate and their presidential debate yesterday.

In the same breath, the Central Organization of Trade Unions, COTU (K) organized a similar debate earlier today at the Laico Regency Hotel and invited all the presidential aspirants to outline their plans to create jobs and grow the economy if elected on March 4. However, CORD’s flag bearer, Raila Odinga, sent his apologies and as a substitute sent his running mate, Kalonzo Musyoka to represent him.

However, the Narc Kenya presidential candidate Martha Karua protested the presence of Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka in the presidential debate criticizing the move to invite Kalonzo to the debate and even walked out in what appeared as a protest as the VP rose to the podium to speak.

The Narc Kenya leader’s face appeared irritated immediately Kalonzo arrived and was seen asking the VP not to take a chair among the presidential candidates and instead sit in the audience. Karua even pointed at the audience where her running mate Augustine Lotodo was seated as a way of directing Kalonzo to take a seat there. Nevertheless, the VP proceeded to take the seat reserved for CORD.

She then demanded that Lotodo also sit next to the VP, to which her number two rose from the audience and joined the front table. And it didn’t end there; as Karua made her uneasy conduct known when she rose to speak choosing to start her introductory remarks by expressing disappointment with the organizers.

“When you invite a presidential candidate it should only be presidential candidates and not running mates. If you want to hold a session for running mates, you can do so as a matter of equity and courtesy,” she said adding; “that’s why I have asked my running mate to sit next to the CORD running mate. No offence.”

However, moderators of the forum defended the decision to allow the VP address the forum saying they took cognizance of the powers for a president to delegate to his running mate saying Kalonzo’s presence was legitimate.

After delivering her speech, the former Gichugu MP sat through as her other rivals Paul Muite, James ole Kiyiapi and Mohamed Abduba Dida spoke but immediately and walked out as soon as Kalonzo was invited to address the forum.

She walked straight to the hotel lobby with Lotodo and her security in tow and later refused to comment when the Standard journalist sought to interview her about the incident.

[Standard Digital]