15 unforgettable quotes and blunders from Kenya's deputy presidential debate

World over, style often trumps (no pun intended) substance in presidential debates.

Candidates who are able to deliver brilliant one-liners tend to eventually dominate debates and clouden their opponent's attempts to put a point across.

To be blunt, election debates are mere political theater — they rarely do much to inform voters when it comes to actual policy. 

In theory, presidential debates are meant to educate the public on the most important issues facing the country and how candidates would approach them if elected. 

But in reality, presidential debates are often little more than political theater, and largely an opportunity for candidates to show off their oratory skills, how well they can handle the spotlight, sharpen their mudslinging expertise and show how good they are at thinking on their feet. 

A presidential candidate's charisma and stage preparedness often far outweighs his or her knowledge of policy and grasp of national issues when it comes to emerging victorious in a debate.

Candidates who can speak in soundbites tend to perform better than those who can bloviate about complex topics, often boring the audience and losing the listener in their winding maze of policy convolutions.

In short, debates are political concerts and only the best showman carries the day.

Here are 15 of the best bloopers and zingers from Kenya's deputy presidential debate held at the Catholic University for Eastern Africa (CUEA) on Tuesday night:

1. “My neighbor has a history of using bhang and there was a time he was mowing his lawn at 11pm. I asked him why, he said he was lessening the work for the following day,” Ruth Mucheru, Agano Party.

2. “How can you tell young people that education is the key yet we have poor graduates and rich idiots?” Justina Wamae, Roots Party.

3. “Agano iko site, watu wakate simu.” Ruth Mucheru, Agano Party.

4. “Kenyan men are stating ati 'beard gang', it's not about that, (it's just that) there's no money to go to kinyozi,” Justina Wamae, Roots Party.

5. “Kunyonga is not in the Constitution,” Ruth Wamae, Agano Party.

6. “We don't need to amend the Constitution to prescribe the relationship between a President and a Deputy President, people need to change their behavior,” Martha Karua, Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition party.

7. “Martha Karua quit Kibaki's government when he was in trouble. Any leader who couldn't work with Mwai Kibaki, I have serious doubt they can work with anyone else,” Rigathi Gachagua, Kenya Kwanza alliance.

8. “I simply don't understand. Is Martha Karua the running mate of Raila Odinga or the running mate of President Kenyatta, the project master?” Rigathi Gachagua, Kenya Kwanza.

9. When asked about the price of kerosene: “I don't go to supermarkets,” Rigathi Gachagua, Kenya Kwanza.

10. “Mr. Gachagua serves in the National Assembly. I have not heard him talk about corruption except when defending his position in the cases he's involved in,” Martha Karua, Azimio.

11. Responding to Gachagua who dismissed her claim that fertiliser goes for Ksh.2,500: “When you are not aware you just say so, you don't dismiss everything as lies,” Martha Karua, Azimio.

12. “We are not here to fight President Uhuru Kenyatta, we are holding him to account for his utterances,” Rigathi Gachagua, Kenya Kwanza.

13. “The problem between Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto has not been brought because of ideological differences, it has been brought because of inferiority complex,” Rigathi Gachagua, Kenya Kwanza.

14. “I was really hoping that my colleague (Gachagua) would explain to us how an individual just receives Ksh.5 billion in his account,” Martha Karua, Azimio.

15. “I do not need help to mobilize. I have been in this game for 30 years when my colleague was a D.O,” Martha Karua, Azimio.