Why debate on poll reform was called off

What you need to know:

  • Mr Ruto turned down the offer saying he “was not a candidate in the 2013 elections”.

  • Debate was to be aired live by KTN television.

  • Cord leader Raila Odinga was to attend debate.

A foreign embassy blocked former presidential candidates from holding an electoral reform debate in a building it owns to avoid questions of partisanship, it has emerged.

Sources at a reform lobby group, Kura Yangu Sauti Yangu, revealed that the French embassy refused to allow the debate to take place at the Alliance Française auditorium in Nairobi after it realised that the panel did not have a representative from the government.

It was also said the debate, which was to be aired live by KTN television, was cancelled after the embassy found out that Cord leader Raila Odinga, who has been at the forefront of protests to kick out the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, would take part in the debate.

“The administrator of the Alliance Française on Wednesday said they were not ready to host the debate after realising that Raila Odinga was invited,” said an organiser of the debate.

The debate, which had been slated to take place on Thursday at 10am, was to bring together presidential candidates in the 2013 General Election: Mr Odinga, Narc Kenya’s Martha Karua, Restore and Build Kenya’s James ole Kiyiapi and Safina’s Paul Muite.

Mr Musalia Mudavadi of Amani National Congress had withdrawn from the debate.

In their application for booking the auditorium, which is directly opposite the electoral commission’s offices at Anniversary Towers, the organisers had not mentioned that Mr Odinga would be among the participants at the event.

“They raised security concerns and also said they would appear to be taking sides in the current debate because Jubilee were not attending. They were fearing the nature of the function and the VIPs who were to attend,” said the source.

But, the organisers said they had approached Deputy President William Ruto and National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale both of whom declined the invitation.

Mr Ruto turned down the offer saying he “was not a candidate in the 2013 elections”.