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| Kenyatta and Odinga in first Kenya presidential debate | Kenyatta and Odinga in first Kenya presidential debate |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Kenya is holding its first presidential debate - between all eight candidates in next month's tightly contested poll. | |
| Millions of Kenyans are expected to watch and listen to the live debate, broadcast on 42 local radio and TV stations, as well as YouTube. | |
| Prime Minister Raila Odinga and his deputy Uhuru Kenyatta, who faces trial for crimes against humanity, are seen as the favourites in the poll. | Prime Minister Raila Odinga and his deputy Uhuru Kenyatta, who faces trial for crimes against humanity, are seen as the favourites in the poll. |
| President Mwai Kibaki is stepping down after two terms in office. | President Mwai Kibaki is stepping down after two terms in office. |
| Disputes over the previous election, in 2007, led to violence in which more than 1,000 people were killed and 300,000 forced from their homes. | Disputes over the previous election, in 2007, led to violence in which more than 1,000 people were killed and 300,000 forced from their homes. |
| Meanwhile, Kenya's Foreign Minister Sam Ongeri summoned European Union (EU) ambassadors on Monday, accusing them of interfering in the election by making "inflammatory" remarks that could polarise the nation ahead of the 4 March vote. | Meanwhile, Kenya's Foreign Minister Sam Ongeri summoned European Union (EU) ambassadors on Monday, accusing them of interfering in the election by making "inflammatory" remarks that could polarise the nation ahead of the 4 March vote. |
| Last week, the UK and France said they would only have limited contact a president who faced trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC), while US Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson warned Kenyan voters that "choices have consequences", reports the Reuters news agency. | Last week, the UK and France said they would only have limited contact a president who faced trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC), while US Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson warned Kenyan voters that "choices have consequences", reports the Reuters news agency. |
| "You will appreciate that with the impending elections just three weeks away, this is a tense moment of national reflection," Mr Ongeri said, after meeting the diplomats. | "You will appreciate that with the impending elections just three weeks away, this is a tense moment of national reflection," Mr Ongeri said, after meeting the diplomats. |
| "The question that begs an answer therefore is whether the EU has an interest in the outcome of the elections." | "The question that begs an answer therefore is whether the EU has an interest in the outcome of the elections." |
| 'Promoting peace' | 'Promoting peace' |
| Six candidates had originally been asked to take part in the debate but one of the two left out, Paul Muite, obtained a last-minute court order blocking it on Monday. | |
| The two excluded contestants were then invited to take part. | |
| The BBC's David Okwembah in the capital, Nairobi, says the debate is historic as it is the first time so many candidates have shared a platform. | |
| However, it is doubtful that the two-hour debate will significantly influence many voters as most Kenyans vote along ethnic lines, he adds. | |
| Mr Odinga says he was cheated of victory in the previous poll by allies of Mr Kibaki. | Mr Odinga says he was cheated of victory in the previous poll by allies of Mr Kibaki. |
| Their supporters then clashed for two months, often targeting people along ethnic lines, until a deal was brokered which saw them agree to share power. | |
| Both Mr Kibaki and Mr Kenyatta are Kikuyus, while Mr Odinga is from the much smaller Luo community. | Both Mr Kibaki and Mr Kenyatta are Kikuyus, while Mr Odinga is from the much smaller Luo community. |
| Mr Kenyatta and his running mate William Ruto are due to stand trial a month after the election at the ICC for allegedly fuelling the violence which broke out after the 2007 poll. | |
| Both men deny the charges, and say the trial is political. | Both men deny the charges, and say the trial is political. |
| The other candidates are Musalia Mudavadi, Martha Karua - the only woman - Peter Kenneth, Muhamed Abduba Dida and James ole Kiyiapi. | |
| The debate is being aired live on eight local TV and 34 radio stations and was to focus on issues ranging from governance and social services to security and resource management, Kenya's Daily Nation newspaper reports. | |
| About 200 people are in the audience for the debate, organised by the local media, which is said to have cost about $1.1m (£700,000). | |
| "This will be an opportunity for the candidates to engage the audience and show what really differentiates them from their competitors," Mr Francis Munywoki, the operations director of the debate said before the debate began, the Daily Nation reports. | |
| "This way, we want to use the media to help the electorate make more informed decisions during the elections and at the same time, create peace." | "This way, we want to use the media to help the electorate make more informed decisions during the elections and at the same time, create peace." |
| The eight candidates started with a short self-introduction before the exchange started. | |
| A second debate will be held on 25 February, focusing on the economy, land, devolution and foreign policy. | A second debate will be held on 25 February, focusing on the economy, land, devolution and foreign policy. |
| Last week, US President Barack Obama urged the people of Kenya, where his father was born, to avoid violence and intimidation in next month's elections. | Last week, US President Barack Obama urged the people of Kenya, where his father was born, to avoid violence and intimidation in next month's elections. |
| He said the polls were a chance for Kenyans to come together to show they were not just members of tribes or ethnic groups, but a proud nation. | He said the polls were a chance for Kenyans to come together to show they were not just members of tribes or ethnic groups, but a proud nation. |