Tuesday 27 August 2024 {HMC} Kenya is set to unveil of its former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as the country’s candidate for the chairmanship of the African Union Commission (AUC) on Tuesday.
Speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing Tokyo International Conference on Africa Development (TICAD-9) Ministerial Meeting that ended Sunday, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said that after the official launch of Mr Odinga’s candidature by President Ruto, it will be all systems go and nothing will be left to chance to ensure Kenya clinches the seat.
“The President will not be announcing only to the Kenyan people but also significantly to the continent and the international community at large that the official candidate for Kenya in the AUC race is none other than Raila Amolo Odinga,” said Mr Mudavadi.
President Ruto has invited East African Community (EAC) heads of State to grace his grand unveiling of Mr Odinga.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Saturday that all the EAC heads of State had been invited to the event, which will mark the official launch of Mr Odinga’s campaigns ahead of the February 2025 elections.
The EAC comprises eight States — Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Burundi, Rwanda and South Sudan.
According to insiders, the launch on Tuesday will see the Kenyan government and Mr Odinga’s secretariat merged into one unit.
There will also be the launch of his campaign website, which was set up by the government to help boost his prospects.
Mr Mudavadi, who is also the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, noted that the campaigns will be led by highly experienced and knowledgeable individuals to ensure a well-coordinated, targeted and result-oriented output.
Dr Ruto is expected to name the team of strategists who will work jointly with Mr Odinga’s team in the joint secretariat to intensify regional campaigns and shuttle diplomacy to secure the AUC post.
Mr Odinga had already named his team which is composed of experienced diplomats, including former Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) Executive Secretary Mahboub Maalim, former Kenyan ambassador to the United States Elkanah Odembo, Ambassador Anthony Okara, as well as Prof Makau Mutua and former Nyeri Deputy Governor Dr Caroline Karugu.
While in Tokyo, Mr Mudavadi used the opportunity to rally several Foreign Affairs Ministers from the African Union member states attending the conference to support Kenya’s bid.
“There are over 25 Ministers for Foreign Affairs representing their countries in this conference and we have spent a lot of time talking and persuading them as we target to harness more support and lobby aggressively for the Kenyan candidate,” the PCS said.
“Now we cannot afford to lose time as this election takes place in February 2025. Africa is huge and even before the official launch the President has been leading a lot of campaigns, approaching many of his colleagues in the continent, and now we must do the follow-up and jointly with the candidate consolidate ground,” he added.
Mr Mudavadi met foreign ministers from Senegal, Liberia, Mauritania and Egypt, among others, where he presented the Kenya’s case for consideration.
He noted that the focus would be on gaining more support and not ceding ground at any given point.
He had earlier said that the secretariat would be responsible for drafting all necessary briefs for the candidate, producing campaign materials, and organising for a public debate to be broadcast live across Africa.
“Because largely these campaigns will call for foreign engagement, we will have to go full blast as soon as the official launch on Tuesday and naturally the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which I head will be very pivotal in undertaking this exercise,” he said.
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