Memorandum on the Presidential Nomination Final

7/29/2019 Memorandum on the Presidential Nomination Final

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/memorandum-on-the-presidential-nomination-final 1/7

Date Direct Tel Number In reply please quote Your reference T.B.A

18thFebruary,2013 our referenceTNA/IEBC01/18

DearSirs,

RE:MEMORANDUMOFTHEKENYANPRESIDENTIALDEBATE

Kenya’sfirst-everPresidentialDebatetookplaceon11thFebruary,2013.Whilesalutingtheorganizersfor

orchestratingsuchahistoricandseminalevent;itwouldberemissonourpartifwedidnotbringtothe

fore blatantacts ofomissionandcommission that regrettably raisedoubtsonthe need andvalueof

havingourCandidate,UhuruKenyatta,appearinthesecondandfinalroundon25 thFebruary,2013.

BIASANDMODERATOR’SOBSESSIONWITHTHEICCFACTOR

ItwasclearfromthestartthatModeratorLinusKaikaihadanaxetogrindagainstUhuruKenyatta.Hehadevidentlybeencoachedanddirectedtosetthestagefortheothercandidatestodirectlyattackthe

DeputyPrimeMinister,HonourableUhuruKenyatta,intheguiseofaddressingthevitalsubjectofgood

governance.

Asamoderator,Kaikaioversteppedhismandatewhileaddressingthegovernanceissueandusedthe

International Criminal Court (ICC) matter to probe only Kenyatta on his ethical qualifications and

performanceasaleaderwhilenotapplyingthesamelevelofscrutinytoanyoftheothercandidates’

glaringethicsandintegrityissues

Bystubbornlypersistingwiththatissueformorethan30minutes,KaikaidisplayedhisopenbiasagainstKenyatta’s leadership and quitewillingly set the stage for other candidates to gang up on him, and

questionhismoral,ethicalandintegritystatusshouldhebeelectedtheFourthPresidentofKenya.

KenyattamayhavebeenslightlydistractedbytheICClineofquestioning,butfinallyemergedstrongerby

providingcredibleanswersoverthechallenge,whichhedescribedasapersonalmatterandonewhich

heisreadytolivewithashedefendshisinnocenceattheICC.

PRIVATE&CONFIDENTIAL

TheOrganizingCommitteeThePresidentialDebate2013ThePresidentialDebate2013SecretariatOffMara/RagatiRoadNAIROBI

THENATIONALALLIANCEPROMISOPLAZA,JOGOOROADP.OBOX13913-00800

NAIROBIEMAIL:[email protected]:www.TNA.co.ke



“Whichcandidatedoesnothavepersonalchallenges :,askedKenyatta,alineofdebatethatModeratorKaikaideliberatelychosetoignoresinceitdidnotfitintohispreconceivedideasandbiases.

Kaikaishould,however,betoldinnouncertaintermsthathislineofquestioningwastotallyprejudicial

anddesignedtoantagonizeanddisadvantagetheJubileePresidentialcandidate.Fortunately,theDPM

maintainedhiscalmandcomposureamidstalltheprovocation,displayingthegraceunderpressurethat

isahallmarkofthematuritybefittinganationalleader.

AsidefromtestingMrKenyatta’spatienceanddisplayingthearrogance,biasandpoliticalaffiliationsof

Kaikai; the debate in itself served no particular purpose other than providing Kenyans with an

unsatisfactoryandshallowplasticdiscoursethataddednovaluetotheirknowledgeorunderstandingofthepertinentissuesrelevanttotheireverydaylives.

Why didn’t Kaikai, for example, take upMuite’s gauntlet to challenge Raila when the Safina leader

pointedthattheCORDPresidentialcandidateshouldbearthegreatestresponsibilityoverissuesarising

fromthe ICCdebacle?Agoodmoderatorshouldhaveseizedthisgoldenopportunityfroma lawyerto

interrogate Raila on the ICC. Itwould havemadethe debateall themorememorable,probativeand

informative.

Kaikai should be advised that the key purposeof any presidential debate is not to let rivals plough

through the misery – or personal misfortunes – of competitors but to market their credentials and

manifestoescompetitivelytotheKenyanvoters,intheoverallhopeofinfluencingundecidedvotersand

ensuringallvotersmakeinformeddecisions.

ItwasprofoundlyunprofessionalandtastelessforKaikaitousetheICCindictmentsasaplatformfor

allowingtheothercandidatestorideroughshodoverUhuruwithoutequallyraisingquestionsrelatedto

theirsuitabilityandcompetency.IfKaikaihadgenuineintentionsofexposingtheweaknessesofallthe

candidatesinthedebate,thenhewouldhavedredgedintotheshadypastofcandidateslikethePrime

Minister,theRightHonourableRailaOdinga,HonPeterKenneth,PaulMuite,HonMarthaKaruaandHon

MusaliaMudavadi,andformerPSJohnoleKiyiapi,allofwhomareburdenedbyvaryingdegreesofeither

graftallegationsorissuesofmoralprobity.

Itiswithaheavyheartthatwesaythat,throughoutthedebate,Kaikaibehavedlikeaguidedmissilewith

apre-programmedtarget–CandidateUhuru.Thisisthelastimpressionthataprofessionallyconvened

andmoderatedpresidentialdebateshouldimpart.



TheKenyanmedia’sinauguralPresidentialDebategotofftoafalsestart.Itwasatainted,loadedand

totallyskewedspectacle.

ELEPHANTSTHATWERENEVERBROUGHTINTOTHEROOM–OTHERHARDQUESTIONS

KakaiexcitedlyintroducedtheICCissueastheonlyelephant-in-the-room,convenientlyforgettingthere

weremanyotherjumbosthatareamatterofpublicknowledgeandmediarecord.Heclearlychosenot

tointroducethemintothedebateroom.ItisunclearwhyneitherofthetwomoderatorsprobedOdinga

overhisallegedroleinseveralmulti-billionshillinginstancesofgrandcorruption;mostnotablytheTriton,

Maize,andKaziKwaVijana scandalsthathaveblightedthePrimeMinister’sOfficeforanumberofyears.

Worse,Odingawasnotgrilledonhissuitabilityforofficehavingconfirmedinwritingthatheparticipatedin the 1982 coup attempt, an illegal and unconstitutional enterprise aimed at overturning the

constitutionalorder inKenya.Althoughheadmittedtoplayingakeyrolein thistreasonousplotinhis

2006authorizedbiographybyNigerianacademicBabafemiBadejo– RailaOdinga:AnEnigmainKenyan

Politics – this is one issue thatOdingahas successfullymanaged to keepoutofthepublic domain in

recentyears,andKaikaiappearstobeoneofhisfoot-soldiersinthismaneuver.

Inaddition,thetwomoderatorsfailedtoputDeputyPrimeMinisterMusaliaMudavadionthespotforhis

allegedroleinthecomplexGoldenbergScandalwhenheservedasFinanceMinister.

Narc-Kenya leaderMarthaKaruawasnotgrilledonherdubiousroleintheSouthNgariamaRanchand

allegationsofmoralimpropriety,allhardissuesinthepublicdomain.

PeterKennethwasnotquestionedonhissuspectedrole inscandalsinvolving theKenyaRe-Insurance

CorporationandtheKenyaFootballFederation(KFF)whenhewastheheadofthetwoinstitutions.

AndJamesoleKiyiapiwasnotquestionedonhissuspectroleintheEducationFundscandalwhilePaul

MuitewasnottakentotaskonallegationsthattheGoldenbergScandalchiefarchitectKamleshPattni

paidhimKSh20million.Pattnimadetheallegations,completewithfacsimilesofthechequesinvolved,

andaseniorbusinessassociateofMuite’sconfirmedthatthechequeswereindeedbankedintheirfirm’saccount.

Theseweremajorelephants-in-the-roomandKenyanswerewaitingforthehardquestionstobeasked,a

pointoneofthepre-debateanalysts,theNationMediaGroup’sMachariaGaitho,hadloudlyalludedto

aheadofthedebate.



Whydidtwosuchhighly-ratedmoderatorsfailtoaskthehardquestions?Whydidtheyallowthedebate

to tilt sounevenly inone direction? Itwasa failure that smacksofdeliberate strategy, prefabricated

elsewhere,off-stage.

NodoubtKaikaihadlistenedtowhatthepre-debateanalystswereexpectingonbehalfoftheKenyan

votersbutwassuspiciouslyonlykeenonintroducingoneelephant-in-the-room,theICCissue;whichwas

discussedforover30minutes.

WecontendthattheallegationsagainstUhuru’srivals,whetherconfirmedornot,gototheheartofthe

ethicsofthesaidcandidatesandarecoveredbythenewConstitution.Themoderators’failuretoaddress

theissuessimplyconfirmstheirbiasagainstKenyatta.

KAIKAITHERAILAPARTISAN

PerhapsthechoiceofKaikaiasModeratorwasnotawell-thought-outdecisionby theorganizers.This

moderatorhaspreviouslyandpubliclydisplayeda soft spotforthePrimeMinister.Kaikai isknown to

haveexpressedinterestinseekingaparliamentaryseatinNarokonanODMticketinthe2007elections,

butwasreportedlytalkedoutofhisambitionsandpromisedthepostofDirectorofCommunicationsina

RailaPresidency.

CHOICEOFPRE/POSTDEBATEANALYSTS

Thecompositionofpre-andpost-debateanalystswasdeeplyflawed.First,theorganizersdidnotconsult

Presidentialcampaignteamsonthesaidcomposition,thusitwasabundantlyclearthattheinclusionof

hostile civil societyactivistMsAtsango Chesoni wasdesigned topump upbias andhostilitytowards

Kenyattaandthusalienatealargeblocofvoterswhodependon“talkingheads”likehertomaketheir

decisions.

Itwas exceedingly bad judgment on the part of the organizers to includeMsChesoni amongst the

analysts,consideringthatsheistheExecutiveDirectoroftheKenyaHumanRightsCommission,oneofthecivil societybodies thathaveunsuccessfullybeenfighting incourtto haveKenyattablockedfrom

contestingthePresidency.

ItisclearthattheraceisbetweenUhuruKenyattaandRailaOdinga,butitstillbeatslogicwhysixother

candidates were allowed to participate in the debate. We had forewarned the debate organizing

committeewaybacklastyearinaminutedformalmeetingthatinclusionofdebatersbeyondthefront



runners,whichisaninternationallyacceptednorm,wouldsignificantlydiminishtheprobativevalueof

theDebate.Ouradvicewasnotheeded,theConstitutionwasincorrectlyinvoked,andconsequentlythe

publicinterestwasnotserved.

ClearlysomeoftheorganizerswerekeentousetheDebatetofurthertheirownpoliticalagendasand

support their favoured candidates.. Forexample,Samuel K.Macharia, theproprietor ofRoyalMedia

Services(RMS)–whichcontributedoneofthemoderators–hasopenlyopposedKenyatta’scandidature

andalignedhisbroadcastingempiretobolsteringOdinga’scampaigns.Hewasrecentlyappointedhead

ofCORD’sso-calledSummit,becomingthefirstmediaownerinKenyatoparticipatedirectlyintheaffairs

ofapoliticalformation.

It is public knowledge that the debate organizerswerenot keen on the inclusion of retired teacherMohamedDidaMohamedandSeniorCounselPaulMuite,whowereonlyallowedinwhentheyobtained

courtorders.Thismeansthatas itnowstandsbecauseoftheconfused firstdebateprecedent,under

Section 108 of the Constitution, which calls for “equitable and fair” coverage of all the candidates,

candidateswhostandnochancewhatsoeverofwinning,willandmustparticipateintheseconddebate.

HISTORICALFACTS

Whilemoderatorshavearighttodiguppasthistoricalfacts,suchrightsshouldonlybeinvokedifthey

addvalue,enrichtheoveralltenorofthedebateandarerelevanttothevoterswithoutservingto

drive a greaterwedge than alreadyexistsbetween rival sides.Therefore, itwas unhelpfulandrather

sensational for Kaikai to replay thepost-Independence power strugglebetween Jomo Kenyatta and

OgingaOdinga that culminated in the latter being detained.This is one of the reasons for the “bad

blood”betweentheKikuyuandLuo.Itcanbearguedthatreplayingthefalloutof1966-69wasneedless,

excepttoinflametheoldemotionsandrecreatesuspicionsbetweenthetwocommunitiestofurther

splitthevoteblocs.

ItwashighlyinsensitiveofKaikaitobringthematterupwhenKenyansarestillhealingfromthewounds

ofthetragic2007/08post-electionviolence.

What’smore, the issueof timingwasactively disrespected. Initially, theorganisershadpromised the

candidatesandtheKenyanaudienceatwo-hourdebate.However,duetodisorganization,theskewed

emphasis on the ICC issue and lackofstrictness on the amountoftime candidateshad to give their

responses;Kenyansenededupwitha three-and-a-half-hourDebatethat left boththeparticipantsand

theaudienceexhausted.Thecandidateswereontheirfeetallofthistimeandsomeofthemhadjust



arrivedfromvariousgruelingcampaignsinfar-flungcornersofKenya.Thissubjectedthecandidatesto

unnecessaryfatigueatatimewhentheyliterallyhadtothinkontheirfeetandperformforthecameras.

Such blatant lack of respect for time amongst media professionals exposed the organizers’ many

weaknessesinrunningtheinauguraldebate.ItisnotworthparticipatinginasecondPresidentialDebate

undersuchconditionsandsuchmanifestlackofprofessionalism.

AUDIENCECOMPOSITION

Wealso noted that the organizers of the debate took it upon themselves to invite membersof the

audiencewithoutconsultingwiththestakeholders.Whilethisisnotthegreatestofourgrievances,we

howevernotewithconcernthatsomeoftheorganizerspersonalizedthedebatetotheextentofinvitingrelatives. In addition, international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that have been hostile

towardstheKenyattacampaigningeneralalsogotinvitationsintothehallinsteadoflocalactivistgroups

thathave been on the frontline promoting civic education and fighting for the right of the ordinary

persontoberecognizedasastakeholderinKenyanpolitics.

CONCLUSION:

Withallduerespect,weareoftheopinionthatwithlessthanafortnighttogobeforethepollingday;

ourCandidate’stimecanbebetterspentonthecampaigntrailratherthanparticipatinginaskewed,

shambolicandfarcicalSecondDebate.

ThefactthemediahavealreadycorneredthemselvesbyhavingallthePresidentialcandidatesparticipate

inalengthy,tediousandultimatelypointlessprocessthatdoesnotbothertofollowthemostbasicrules

ofmoderateddebate,includingtiming,shouldnotbeusedtoboxtheJubileeteamintotheawkward

cornerofanotherunproductivedebate.

Itisourpositionthatthevoterhasarighttodirectlyconnectwiththecandidatesonthegroundand

preparingoneselffortwodaysinreadinessfortheproposedseconddebateisnottimewellspent.

Basedonthesefacts,wewanttomakeitclearthattheJubileePresidentialCandidate,UhuruKenyatta,

willnotbetakingpartintheseconddebate.

We,however,wishtoreiterateourreadinesstomeetwithmembersoftheOrganizingCommitteeto

discusstheseconcerns.



YoursFaithfully,

JubileePresidentialCampaignTeam

Documents

Memorandum on the Presidential Nomination Final