Editor's Review

Prof George Wajackoyah has written to the presidential secretariat ahead of next week's debate slated for Tuesday.  

Roots Party presidential candidate George Wajackoyah has written to the presidential secretariat which is headed by Clifford Machoka. 

Through his head of communications, Jaymo Ule Msee, Wajackoyah threatened to boycott the presidential debate if he is not paired with Raila Odinga and William Ruto. 

"We would like to notify you that our candidate Prof Wajackoyah will only attend the debate if he will be debating with the Azimio and Kenya Kwanza presidential candidates," he stated.

According to the presidential debate guidelines, Wajackoyah has been paired with Agano party candidate Waihiga Mwaure.

The secretariat used the last three opinion polls to gauge the popularity of the presidential candidates and those who polled below five percent were paired together in the debate. 

Candidates who polled above five percent, Odinga and Ruto, will debate each other in the second tier of the discourse. 

{Justina Wamae (left) and Ruth Mucheru during the deputy presidential debate}

However, Wajackoyah argues that the polls are not accurate and have been executed by individuals who have interests in specific quarters. 

“Our decision is informed by the fact that the polls used as a determinant to pair the presidential candidates are not factual because they are conducted by pollsters with interest to some political parties participating in a presidential candidate,” the party said in the statement.

Read Also: Revealed: Number of Kenyans Who Watched the Deputy Presidential Debate

The presidential debate will take place on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. 

According to the Media Council of Kenya (MCK), 34 million Kenyans watched the deputy presidential debate.