Photo: Presidential Debate Page/Facebook

The Stage was set for Kenya's first presidential debate with eight candidates each trying to convince voters before March 4th polls.

All candidates contesting the March 4 presidential elections should participate in the Presidential debate scheduled for today, Chairman of IEBC Isaack Hassan has said.

Six presidential candidates have confirmed participation in the debate scheduled for 7pm tonight at Brookhouse International School. Safina presidential candidate Paul Muite and Alliance For Real Change Party leader Mohommed Abuda Diba's names are missing from the list of those scheduled to participate in the event.

IEBC chairman Isaack Hassan has said the commission views "such exclusion inequitable and undesirable in the circumstances," stating that all the candidates meet the legal requirements to contest the March 4 General Elections and should therefore be allowed to join the debate.

Safina presidential flag bearer Paul Muite is expected in court today to have the presidential debate stopped.

Speaking to the press at the weekend, Safina deputy director of election Jayne Mati said she has also written to the IEBC to intervene in the matter.

Organisers of the event have said Muite and Diba were locked out because they had not declared their intention to run by the time preparations for the debate started.