Preparations for the highly anticipated 2022 General Election are in high gear, with the schedule for the presidential debates already released.
The Kenya Editors Guild, the convener of the debates, has set aside July 12 and July 26, 2022, as the dates when presidential candidates will lock horns.
Editors Guild will hold the first presidential debate on July 12, 2022, with the second debate coming two weeks later on July 26.
“Given that the nomination for presidential candidates ends on June 10, 2022, we have set the first presidential debate for July 12, 2022, and the second one on July 26, 2022,” KEG President Churchill Otieno said.
In between the two presidential debates, running mates will have a chance to outwit each other before the Kenyan public.
Otieno, who spoke at a media stakeholders’ workshop with the IEBC in Mombasa, said the media will shortly release an updated Election Reporting Guidelines.
“…and proceed to mount election training across the country to prepare ourselves for the assignment,” he said.
Meanwhile, Deputy President William Ruto’s camp has protested the debates schedule, citing a lack of consultation.
“Media should understand presidential candidates do not work on their calendars. This thing of announcing presidential debates without consulting parties or candidates is outright arrogance. Consultations must happen before such announcements. You cannot just announce dates,” blogger Dennis Itumbi protested.
