By Tajeu Shadrack Nkapapa
President William Ruto met several African Presidents in Beijing, China to discuss bilateral issues between African states and also had talks about Raila Odinga’s candidacy for the African Union Commission Chairperson.
This comes a few days after President Ruto and the government of Kenya on 27th August 2024 officially launched the Candidature of the Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga for the position of AUC Chairperson. The event took place at State House, Nairobi.
In Beijing, China at the ongoing China-Africa cooperation summit President Ruto held separate meetings with African Presidents. He met President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé of Togo and Assimi Goita (Mali), Paul Kagame (Rwanda), Umaro Sissoco Embalo (Guinea-Bissau), Mahamat Idriss Deby (Chad) and Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia.
The President explained to his counterparts the candidature of former Prime Minister Hon. Raila for the position of AUC chairperson. He introduced Raila Odinga as an accomplished pan-Africanist, a champion of integrated infrastructure and committed to peace and security in the continent.
President Ruto took to X the discussion he had with the rest of the Presidents on matters of partnership and the campaigns for Hon. Odinga.
“Met President Paul Kagame of Rwanda in Beijing, China, and deliberated on deepening our relations and also the candidature of the Rt Hon. Raila Odinga for the position of the African Union Commission chairperson,” President Ruto wrote on X.
“In Beijing, China held talks with President Hichilema of Zambia and thanked him for his leadership as chair of COMESA. Also deliberated on the support for Rt Hon. Raila Odinga’s candidature for the position of African Union Commission chairperson,” he added.
Dr. Ruto also held talks with Presidents Gnassingbe of Togo and Goita Assimi of Mali on a pan-African Congress to be held in Lome, Togo, later in the year.
He also discussed with them the support for the candidature of the Rt Hon. Raila Odinga for the position of chairperson of the African Union Commission.
President William Ruto also emphasized that the African Union Commission is thus a critical institution of the African Union and it requires an effective, knowledgeable and experienced leadership.