President William Ruto has invited East African Community (EAC) Heads of State to grace his grand unveiling of Kenya’s candidate for the chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) Mr Raila Odinga on Tuesday.....CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday confirmed that all the EAC Heads of State had been invited to the occasion that will mark the official launch of Mr Odinga’s campaigns ahead of the February 2025 elections.
The EAC’s membership consists of eight States including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Republics of Burundi, Rwanda and South Sudan.
Kenya has purposed Mr Odinga’s candidacy to replace outgoing chair Mr Moussa Faki Mahamat, to be that of the EAC and not just the country’s affair and this points to the withdrawal of former Somalia Foreign Affairs Minister Fawzia Yusuf from the race and her subsequent backing of the former Prime Minister.
“The EAC Heads of State have been invited for the unveiling of the candidate at State House, Nairobi which is the venue for the event on Tuesday August 27,” Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Dr Korir Sing’oei told Sunday Nation.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi who is also the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs revealed that President Ruto will give a formal roadmap for Mr Odinga’s campaigns, a move that would instill life in his quest for the top continental post.
“This is more than a candidacy; it is a national mission. Raila Odinga represents Kenya’s voice, values and aspirations on the continent. As he steps forward, let us stand with him, not just as a government but as a united people,” Mr Mudavadi said.
Dr Ruto is expected to name a team of strategists from the government side that will work jointly with Mr Odinga’s team at a joint secretariat already put up in Nairobi to enhance regional campaigns and shuttle diplomacy to secure Mr Odinga the AUC post.
President Ruto to formally unveil Raila Odinga candidacy for AUC post
Mr Odinga had already named his team which is composed of experienced diplomats including former Executive secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Mahboub Maalim, former Kenya’s ambassador to the United States Elkanah Odembo, Ambassador Anthony Okara as well as Prof Makau Mutua and former Nyeri Deputy Governor Dr Caroline Karugu.
Speaking to Sunday Nation yesterday, Mr Odembo noted that the Tuesday launch will bolster the regional campaigns.
“It will give the campaign the needed visibility and impetus. It will reaffirm Kenya’s commitment and seriousness to get Raila Amollo Odinga and Kenya to the top leadership of the AUC.
“It will signal that it is now all systems go,” Mr Odembo said.
On Tuesday, the former envoy noted, president Ruto will reiterate Mr Odinga’s “exceptional qualities and experience that make him, undoubtedly, the best candidate for AUC job.”
“He will do so in the presence of his colleagues whom he has invited to the event including the Diplomatic Corps in Nairobi,” Mr Odembo said.
Mr Odinga is facing Djibouti’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mahmoud Youssouf, former Mauritius Foreign Minster Anil Kumarsingh Gayan and his former Madagascar counterpart Richard James Randriamandrato.
Djibouti, Mauritius, and Madagascar are all Francophone Nations, and Kenya hopes to take advantage of that to boost its bid.
Raila’s bid for AUC seat gets boost with Malawi and Zambia support Mauritius and Madagascar are from the Southern African Development Community region.
“Our strategy is to ensure that Kenya enrolls not just full support of East African Community, but that EAC resolve to make the campaign a regional campaign,” added Mr Odembo.
But Djibouti has proved to be Kenya’s nightmare in the race, which is touted as a two-horse race between the two nations.
Mr Odinga’s team says it is “well aware of the Djibouti challenge” in the contest.
“Djibouti is a country strategically located in the Horn of Africa, and there is global competition over Djibouti. As a Port State, Djibouti has some eight overseas military bases…including the US, and France.
“The Horn of Africa security is declining as a result of these overseas interests. We are fully aware of this, and are factoring the same in our campaign,” said a strategist in Mr Odinga’s camp.
He said their team will continue with visits to Kigali, Brazzaville, and Kinshasa which Mr Odinga toured recently…CONTINUE READING>>
