Kenya’s candidate for the chairperson of the African Union Commission Raila Odinga made a compelling case for his leadership during the recent African Union Leadership debate, known as Mjadala Afrika.
Odinga pledges to champion the vision of Africa’s founding fathers by focusing on key areas such as education, health, trade, and the value addition of the continent’s abundant raw materials. Building on his tenure as the African Union High Representative on Infrastructure, Odinga expresses confidence in his capabilities to guide the continent towards its developmental objectives.
“I have acted as the African Union High Representative on Infrastructure, and I know we have a comprehensive programme for infrastructure development across the continent,” he remarks.
He highlights the urgency of translating strategic goals into actionable steps and pledged to lead by example. Central to Odinga’s vision is the promotion of unity and the achievement of Vision 2063, a blueprint aimed at social and economic transformation in Africa over the next 50 years. While acknowledging the strides made, he states that significant work remains.
“I have the experience; I have been part of this movement for change on the continent. While progress has been made, there is much more to accomplish,” he notes, reflecting on Africa’s vast wealth.
During the debate, Odinga elaborated on his manifesto while competing against Mahmoud Ali Youssouf of Djibouti and Richard Randriamandrato of Madagascar. A critical element of his agenda is the need for enhanced value addition to raw materials, which would enable the continent to reap greater benefits from its natural resources.
He notes that intra-Africa trade currently represents only 15 percent of total trade and calls for measures to address obstacles that have hindered the full realization of the African Free Trade Area, initiated three years ago. These barriers include non-tariff restrictions and discrepancies in standards and payment methods among member states.
Odinga’s vision encapsulates themes of unity, progress, and self-reliance, emphasizing the need of leveraging Africa’s resources for the benefit of its people.
