BRIAN NDUNG'U Lifestyle, Entertainment journalist

27 July 2022

• The much anticipated presidential debate took place on Tuesday but without the pomp and fireworks many anticipated it to have.

• Professor Wajackoyah and Raila Odinga pulled a no show at the presidential debate.

The much anticipated presidential debate took place on Tuesday but without the pomp and fireworks, many anticipated it to have.

This was after Roots party presidential candidate, Professor George Wajackoyah showed up but immediately left the venue before the start of the first-tier debate session.

Wajackoyah was to face Wachira Mwaure of Agano party but the latter had the entire 90 minutes to himself to sell his manifesto.

In the second tier, William Ruto was supposed to lock horns with Azimio's Raila Odinga but the former premier had announced that he was not going to share a podium with Ruto.

However as much as the debates didn't live up to the expectations both Mwaure and Ruto had a number of moments that either left the audience in stitches, thinking hard, agreeing, or even disagreeing with them.

We take a look at some of the key pointers that got netizens reacting.

"I am here as an anti-corruption crusader. I am here as a friend of Kenya and the entire universe. I am here as a person and a man of peace." - David Mwaure, presidential candidate, Agano Party.

"I believe this is a mama mboga moment. We have 5 million young people who are not working. We have 15 million Kenyans who today are blacklisted in CRB. We have 10 million citizens who have no access to microfinance credit." - William Ruto, presidential candidate, UDA Party

"I am tired like Kenyans are, I am disappointed by the leadership we've had so far. I am one of those Kenyans who sat back and watched as that leadership again wants to come back. Why do we have to recycle them?" - Mwaure

"There's no reason Kenya is spending 12 million to import maize from Uganda. The reason we are not net exporters is that our agriculture sector is capitalized." - Ruto

"We are all here because the leadership we've had before has abdicated their role as leaders. "- Mwaure

"When you are a deputy president (I'm sorry you haven't been one - to Yvonne Okwara) there's an extent to the things you can do." - Ruto

"We must still ask how much money went into the SGR? We need to know how much? Who are the KEMSA billionaires and why have their names haven't been read out and the money returned?" - Mwaure

"My competitor is not here because he doesn't want to answer difficult questions my competitor did not come here because he's not the real candidate - he's a project." - Ruto.