By Wilfridah Murenga
The Government of Kenya has taken significant steps in supporting the bid of political powerhouse Raila Odinga for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson position.
Speaking during a joint press briefing at Railways Nairobi, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said that the state will oversee Raila’s campaign for the candidacy. He assured that the campaign will be led by highly experienced and knowledgeable officers.
According to Mudavadi, the state department for foreign affairs has established a campaign secretariate which includes Raila’s strategy team to prepare the opposition leader for the upcoming African Union chairmanship nominations on August 6.
“The secretariat will prepare all the briefs for use by the candidate, develop campaign materials including digital presence and prepare for the public debate to be broadcast live to the African citizens. This will take place six months before the election date,” Mudavadi said.
The CS added that the team is finalizing preparatory and application documents along with necessary translations of Raila’s resume into 6 languages: French, English, Kiswahili, Portuguese, Arabic and Spanish which should be ready for submission to the AU secretariat by the end of June 2024.
The Prime Cabinet Secretary also announced the formulation of a practical campaign strategy that encompasses the identification of potential prospects, obstacles, and risks that Mr. Odinga may encounter.
He expressed his confidence in Raila noting that his values and leadership philosophy align with the AU Commission’s principles of efficiency, professionalism and respect for diversity.
“The candidate’s experience and leadership philosophy align with the AU Commission’s principles of efficiency, professionalism and respect for diversity. We have no doubt the candidate will pursue excellence in line with the continent’s collective aspirations of the Africa we want in 2063, as framed in AU development framework of Agenda 2063,” noted Mudavadi.
He further added that Mr Odinga has the credentials and passion to advocate for Africa’s interests globally and champion more opportunities for Africa.
The Azimio Coalition leader, in turn, expressed his gratitude for the support and assured the team that he is working diligently to utilize his expertise, networks, and comprehension of the continent to gain the approval of numerous nations.
Raila Odinga declared his candidacy for AU Commission Chairperson on February 15, 2024.