RACHEL RUTO’S MESSAGE TO HER HUSBAND AFTER THE DEBATE

Rachel Ruto, Deputy President William Ruto’s wife has praised him as “the last man standing” following the media interview on his presidential candidature held on Tuesday evening.

The event at Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Karen, Nairobi, was meant to be a debate of the four candidates running for president in the August general election. But it was transformed into an interview after Ruto’s main challenger to whom he was to share a podium -Azimio’s Raila Odinga- skipped.

Roots party candidate George Wajackoyah was meant to debate Agano party’s Waihiga Mwaure in the first segment of the debate. But he bolted out of the venue as soon as he arrived. Wajackoyah left after being informed by the debate organisers that he would only debate Mwaure and not the other candidate.

“If the media wants to corrupt the intelligence of this society, if the media wants to run corruption in this country, if the media itself can do what they have done, to hell with them,”
Wajackoyah thundered.

Debates morphed into interviews

The “debates” thus morphed into media interviews, with Mwaure and Ruto enjoying free airtime in all the mainstream television stations, to market their manifestos.

Ruto was grilled by journalists Eric Latiff and Yvonne Okwara on an array of issues: corruption, independence of the Judiciary, Gulana Kulalu project, his achievements -or otherwise- as deputy president, etc.

“Congratulations Bill,” Rachel commended her husband at the end of the interview. “You were perfect. The last man standing. May God carry you through.”

The jury is still out on whether Raila and Wajackoyah’s decision to skip the event has any negative impact on their efforts to win the hearts and minds of the electorate. Ditto Ruto and Mwaure’s attendance.