Kenya has submitted its nomination of Raila Odinga to contest for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship in elections slated for February 2025.
Foreign Affiars Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei presented the nomination to the continet’s Eastern Region Dean Dharmraj Busgeeth, Ambassador of Mauritius, accompanied by Odinga’s strategists.
He also presented copies of the nomination to African Union Legal Counsel, Hajer Gueldich.
Kenya settled on the former Prime Minister as its nominee for the race to succeed Moussa Faki who has held the position since March 2017. Sing’Oei presented the nomination just 2 days after confirming conclusion of preparatory processes.
“All-Set-Go,” Sing’Oei said Saturday when he shared a preview of 2 bundles in containing translations of Odinga’s documents.
Kenya had on 5 June said it would submit it’s bid by 30 June, a timeline that has since lapsed.
Deadline
The deadline for the application for the AUC Chairmanship bid for any interested parties is 6 August.
On 5 June, Kenya announced the establishment of a campaign secretariat run by the State Department for Foreign Affairs to bolster Odinga’s chances of winning the AUC Chairperson slot.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi indicated that the team, including Odinga’s strategists, will assist the candidate in preparation for the high stakes election.
Mudavadi explained the team will prepare briefs for the candidate, develop campaign materials, and prepare for a televised debate among candidates.
Endorsements
Kenya has since received endorsement from a number of countries including Uganda, Rwanda, Ghana, Zimbabwe and lately Algeria.
The endorsement from Algeria came after President William Ruto held discussions with Algerian President Tebboune Amadjid during the G7 meeting in Apulia, Italy.
“I have held a discussion with President Tebboune Amadjid, Algeria, on the sidelines of G7 meeting in Apulia, Italy, who has pledged support for Kenya’s Africa Union Commission chairmanship bid,” President Ruto said on 14 June.
Odinga is competing against a number of candidates from the Eastern Africa bloc including jibouti’s Foreign Affairs minister Mahmoud Youssouf, Somalia’s former deputy prime minister and current member of the Federal Parliament, Fawzia Yusuf and Seychelles’ former Vice President Vincent Meriton for the continental post.
Tanzania recently emerged as a likely contender to join the race for the AUC seat with former Foreign Minister January Makamba fronted as a likely candidate.
Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhi terminated the appointment of Makamba on 22 July in a mini changes in her cabinet without providing reasosn for his removal.
Pleasantly surprised
Speaking on his candidature on 5 June, Odinga said he was “pleasantly surprised” by the government’s decision to front him for the AUC chairmanship.
Odinga told reporters during a joint briefing with Prime Cabinet Secretary Mudavadi on the status of Kenya’s candidacy for the AUC post that the decision to run for the top seat at the continental body was personal.
He said he made the decisions after “lots of consultations and soul-searching” following persuasion by friends.
Odinga, who bitterly rejected the outcome of the 2022 presidential election, said President William Ruto’s government reached out to him after his decision.
“The Kenya government did not ask me. I made a decision myself that I want to offer myself to serve the continent. You cannot run for this position without [being] sponsored by your country,” Odinga told reporters.
“I was [myself] pleasantly surprised that the Kenyan government said they will support me. I expected them to say no. I don’t know the reason why they said yes, that was their own decision, not mine,” he stated.
The AU will apply the principle of inter-regional rotation in the election slated for February 2025, giving a chance to fourteen States in the Eastern bloc to produce the Commission Chairperson.
The Northern bloc will produce a Deputy Chairperson while Central, Southern, and Western regions submit at least 2 candidates (one female and one male) for the 6 Commissioner portfolios.
AUC comprises a Chairperson, a Deputy Chairperson, and 6 Commissioners.AU adopted the structure in 2021 following institutional reforms in November 2018.
