Raila courts six African heads for AUC job in China trip

President William Ruto (centre) during a meeting with his Rwandese counterpart Paul Kagame (right), Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, ODM leader Raila Odinga and  Kisii Governor Simba Arati, on the sidelines of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit in Beijing, China. [PCS]

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga Wednesday pitched his African Union Commission chairperson candidacy to six African presidents attending the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (Focac) Summit in Beijing, China.

Raila, who accompanied President William Ruto to the conference, attended separate meetings between the Head of State and his African peers, discussing the former premier's candidacy. The pair met Presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé of Togo, Assimi Goita of Mali, Umaro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea-Bissau, Mahamat Idriss Deby of Chad, and Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia.

The opposition veteran is seen in photos shared by the President's official social media handles amid a delegation that also includes Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Kisii Governor Simba Arati, among others.

In his posts, Dr Ruto said he had spoken with his fellow presidents about Raila's AUC bid as well as other bilateral issues.

"Pan-Africanism is an ideal platform to harness unity within the continent and the Diaspora. It will enable countries and organisations with a common agenda to discuss matters of mutual interest, including the African Union Agenda 2063 and the reforms of the United Nations," the Head of State captioned his photo with Gnassingbé and Goita.

Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which Mudavadi heads, told The Standard that Raila had the chance to champion his candidacy as he sought their support ahead of the vote slated for February next year.

Raila travelled with Ruto to Beijing aboard a chartered Kenya Airways flight to Focac to woo African heads in his favour. The forum brings together several presidents, offering the chance for a meaningful campaign. Last week, Ruto unveiled Raila as Kenya's candidate for the top AUC position at an event attended by Presidents Samia Suluhu of Tanzania, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Salva Kiir of South Sudan.

The former premier described himself as the "African lion", promising to help spur integration and collective prosperity. "I am ready to serve. My heart is ready and my hands are steady. I am made in Eastern Africa for Africa. I have said that I am an Afro-optimist, as opposed to Afro-pessimist. Afro- pessimists are those people who have given up on Africa, who say Africa is a lost cause, a wasted continent," said Raila.

He has already secured the support of the East African Community and is hoping to boost his numbers to secure two-thirds of the 49 countries that will vote in February.

Raila, reported to have more than 20 countries backing his bid, will need 33 votes if he is to win in the first round to replace outgoing chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat. He is facing stiff competition from Djibouti's Foreign Affairs Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, who has reportedly secured the endorsement of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation states, which includes more than 20 African nations.

Others candidates are Anil Kumarsingh Gayan of Mauritius and Richard Randriamandrato of Madagascar.

Religion, age, the anglo and francophone divide, Western influence and the emerging forces in the continent such as Russia and China are some of the elements that may tilt the scale in the election. Eastern Africa is  faced with the Anglophone-Francophone divide where Mauritius Djibouti and Madagascar are Francophone as are other 17 countries in the Eastern, Western, Northern and Central Africa.

But Raila, who has secured the backing of Francophone countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo-Brazzavile, Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire, last week urged the continent to transcend language barriers. "We don’t want Africans to be divided as Anglophones, Francophones, Lusophones," said Raila.

In April this year, Angola's Ambassador to Kenya Sianga Abilio committed to supporting Raila’s bid.