Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has confirmed the steady progress of Raila Odinga’s campaign for the Chairmanship of the African Union Commission (AUC).
Odinga has been strategically intensifying his efforts focusing on garnering support from West African nations. During a recent diplomatic engagement in Senegal, Odinga met with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and expressed appreciation for the warm reception. He articulated his vision for a more unified, peaceful, and prosperous African continent. The former Prime Minister has been methodically traversing the region, engaging with key national leaders to build support for his candidacy.
His diplomatic tour has included substantive discussions with several West African heads of state. In Abidjan, Odinga held talks with Cote d’Ivoire President Alassane Ouattara, and he is currently proceeding to Abuja, Nigeria, to seek endorsement from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. At a Tuesday media briefing commemorating Kenya’s 60 years of diplomatic relations, Mudavadi voiced the significance of Odinga’s candidacy, noting that Kenya has yet to lead the commission and considers this an opportune moment.
President William Ruto has been actively mobilizing international support, personally reaching out to numerous heads of state to bolster Odinga’s campaign. Mudavadi expresses optimism about their prospects in the upcoming elections in Addis Ababa and emphasises the comprehensive diplomatic groundwork being laid. Odinga’s campaign has been marked by strategic engagements across the region. He has met with presidents including Adama Barrow of Gambia, Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, and Faure Gnassingbé of Togo. Additionally, he visited Benin, holding discussions with Foreign Minister Olushegun Adjadi Bakari.
The race for AUC Chairmanship is competitive, with Odinga facing challengers including Djibouti’s Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, former Mauritius Foreign Minister Anil Kumarsingh Gayan, and former Madagascar Foreign Minister Richard James Randriamandrato. While Odinga concentrates on West African diplomatic channels, Mudavadi has been advocating for his candidacy in Southern Africa and the Great Lakes Region. Odinga has already secured robust regional backing, with seven out of eight East African Community (EAC) nations supporting his bid.
The campaign received a notable boost when EAC Chairman and South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit endorsed Odinga during the campaign launch at Nairobi’s State House.
