Why would a bunch of nobodies hoping to be the next Deputy President decline the chance to appear on all national TVs for 90 minutes free of charge?

That was the question many Kenyans were asking yesterday when Eliud Muthiora Kariara took the stage as the only running mate to turn up for the deputy president’s debate. Some of the other presidential candidates refused to have their running mates attend the debate, while a few others turned up midway and were not allowed to take the podium.

Apart from one or two, the 6 presidential candidates, collectively known as the ‘donkeys’, are completely unknown. Their running mates do not fare any better, but after yesterday, the only name Kenyans will remember is Eliud Muthiora Kariara.

He had what can be calculated to over Sh10 million of uninterrupted airtime free of charge, and he did not blow it. For a person who had probably never appeared on TV on prime time before, he handled himself very well and seemed comfortable enough. In case you missed it, here’s the ‘debate’


Kenyans were thoroughly impressed. Here are some comments from Twitter.