Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) acting MD, Samuel Maina, has responded to the sudden change in the hosts of the first part of the presidential running mates debate.
In a statement on Tuesday, July 19, Maina dubbed the last-minute changing of the moderators as unfortunate.
This was after KBC journalist John Jacob Kioria and TV47's Linda Alela were dropped for Citizen TV and KTN News anchors, Francis Gachuri and Zubeida Kananu respectively.
"It is a clear indication that the organisers have no confidence in any of KBC's presenters. Any planned change should have been communicated properly, and valid reasons given to all interested parties since it was already public knowledge, through posters, that a KBC presenter would be part of the team.
"Finding out the change through different posters is not just embarrassing, but demeaning as well. KBC is not just good for behind-the-scenes roles," Maina stated in an official statement released by the state broadcaster.
He suggested that the organisers should have replaced the moderators with one of their own rather than Citizen TV's and KTN News anchors.
"I believe we have very good presenters at KBC and if one of them did not meet the requirements, they could have been replaced with another from the same media house," he added.
Maina lamented that there was a sinister motive behind the decision, arguing that the moderator positions are a reserve of a few media houses every election year.
Joint production, he stated, means equal opportunity and equal representation, in all areas.
"We appreciate the fact that presenters have different strengths and capacities, and this is why they are paired, to complement each other.
"As colleagues, we can do better in these joint productions as one family. We should strive for better," Maina complained.
In the first part of the debate, Roots Party presidential running mate Justina Wamae faced off with Agano Party's Ruth Mutua.
Wamae supported her candidate, George Wajackoyah's agenda to support bhang farming and exportation.
"I have never smoked bhang and I will never. 3 million Kenyans suffer mental challenges yet marijuana is illegal. The marijuana we are advocating for is medicinal," Wamae stated.
Mutua, however, differed, arguing that bhang is illegal.
Azimio La Umoja's presidential running mate, Martha Karua and Rigathi Gachagua of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) will debate in the second part today.
