Man of the moment: William Ruto to unveil Raila Odinga's campaign for Africa top job

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo speaks during the launch of FESTAC. He endorsed Raila Odinga (right ) for AUC chair post. [Michael Mute, Standard]

Today marks a significant juncture for African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson contender Raila Odinga as President William Ruto formally unveils his candidature.

Presidents from the East Africa region are expected to attend the launch at State House Nairobi this morning.

They include Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), Samia Suluhu (Tanzania), Salva Kiir (South Sudan) and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia.

Burundi Prime Minister Gervais Ndirakobuca and Rwanda Foreign Affairs Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe are also expected to attend.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has been campaigning for Raila, the latest being rallying Foreign Affairs Ministers from African Union member States to support Kenya’s bid.

Mudavadi presented Raila’s bid on the sidelines of the Tokyo International Conference on Africa Development (TICAD-9) ministerial meeting in Japan last week.

“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,” he said.

Among the Foreign Ministers that Mudavadi met include Senegal’s, Liberia’s, Mauritania’s and Egypt’s.

The Prime Cabinet Secretary said Raila’s campaign is on course and after the launch, nothing will be left to chance to ensure Kenya clinches the seat.

“The President will not only be announcing to Kenyans but also to the continent and the international community that the official candidate for Kenya in the AUC race is none other than Raila Odinga,” said Mudavadi.

Mudavadi, who is also the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, said the campaigns will be led by highly experienced and knowledgeable people to ensure a well-coordinated, targeted and result oriented output.

Since Kenya handed in Raila’s credentials earlier in this month, Mudavadi said structured planning has been on going ahead of the official launch.

Raila has said he envisions a united Africa characterized by peace, prosperity, and sustainable progress for all.

“We must harness our vast human and natural resources, and integrate the energy of our youth with the vision and wisdom of our leaders. As a lifelong Pan-Africanist, I will offer participatory leadership to ensure delivery on the priorities of the African peoples as envisioned in the African Union Agenda 2063,” an AUC brochure that highlights his vision and achievements, states.

Some of the priorities and strategies that Raila has committed to include economic transformation, enhancing intra-African trade, financial independence, gender equity and equality, agricultural transformation, climate action, continental integration as well as peace and security.

As Prime Minister Kenya from 2008 to 2013, the AUC brochure states, he played a pivotal role in implementing transformative political, socio-economic and security sector reforms, most notably the promulgation of the Constitution of Kenya 2010.

On Saturday, Ruto called for collective support for Raila’s candidature, describing it as a win for the country.

“We have an opportunity to produce the next AUC chairman and we must work together because it’s not a position that belongs to a person but our collective responsibility. Therefore, we must all support our former Prime Minister,” he said.

Two Cabinet Secretaries Aden Duale (Environment) and John Mbadi (National Treasury) also took advantage of the climate conference in Nairobi last Thursday to sell Raila’s candidature to foreign officials attending the meeting.

Raila, who attended the conference, said AU should be able to speak more effectively on behalf of the people of the continent. “That is the reason why I have offered myself to run for the position of AUC chairmanship. I hope that I will be able to use that position effectively to represent Africa to make sure that Africa claims this century,” he said.

Duale described the ODM leader as the best candidate for AUC, given his wealth of experience, saying his role as former Envoy for Infrastructure Development in Africa had been invaluable to Kenya.

“We know our candidate. We know his experience and capabilities. We are presenting a tested, experienced African Statesman, a Pan-Africanist to the continent and we are proud that you have joined us,” he added.

Mbadi said Kenya cannot go wrong with Raila’s candidature because his history is well-documented.

Conservation of forests

“If there is someone that Africa needs as a champion of issues of climate change, it is none other than Raila. He has fought hard in conservation of forests and water catchment areas and at the AUC you will be a champion protection of our environment and that will go a long way in helping to mitigate the climate change,” said Mbadi.

Mudavadi has indicated that the campaign secretariat will be responsible for drafting all necessary briefs for the candidate, producing campaign materials, and arranging 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,” said Mudavadi in Tokyo.

Since 2017, the Prime Cabinet Secretary said, the AU requires that before the 2025 elections, candidates participate in a televised debate broadcast live to African citizens.

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