Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi is set to lead a high-profile delegation to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for the unveiling of Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s candidacy for the chairmanship of the African Union Commission (AUC).
Mudavadi will champion Odinga’s vision for a unified and transformative Africa during the event which is expected to gather key diplomatic figures from across the continent. The event, organized by the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs under the leadership of Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei, along with Raila Odinga’s Secretariat headed by Ambassador Elkanah Odembo, is anticipated to be a big step forward in rallying support for Odinga’s Pan-African priorities. Mudavadi’s diplomatic engagement in Ethiopia builds on an official campaign launch held in Nairobi on August 27, 2024, spearheaded by President William Ruto.
During the event, Raila Odinga will share his vision and strategic priorities aimed at driving Africa’s socio-economic transformation. The platform will enable him to engage with a network of African Union stakeholders thus fostering partnerships and laying out his proposed agenda for the continent’s advancement. Odinga’s campaign for the AUC Chairmanship is built on a foundation of economic transformation, enhancing intra-African trade and infrastructure, financial independence, gender equity and equality, agricultural transformation, climate action, harnessing youth potential, continental integration, digital transformation, and peace and security for the region.
Raila Odinga’s extensive experience as the African Union’s high representative for infrastructure development from 2018 to 2023 has provided him with a deep understanding of the continent’s socio-economic landscape. His commitment to regional and continental integration and progress has been widely recognized, making him a strong contender for the AUC Chairmanship. The reception and unveiling ceremony in Addis Ababa is expected to set the tone for Odinga’s bid, galvanizing key support across the African continent as he aims to bring forth his transformative vision for the AUC.
The AUC Chairmanship election is slated for February 2025, and Raila Odinga will face competition from other candidates, including Djibouti’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, Madagascar’s Foreign Minister Richard Randriamandrato, and Mauritius’s Anil Gayan. The chairperson of the AUC serves as the chief executive officer and legal representative of the AU, overseeing administrative and financial matters, promoting the AU’s objectives, and engaging with stakeholders.
As the unveiling event in Addis Ababa approaches, the Kenyan delegation, led by Musalia Mudavadi, is poised to rally support for Odinga’s transformative vision for Africa by engaging with representatives from AU member states, regional economic communities, business leaders, youth, women’s representatives, and civil society organizations.
