The government on Sunday announced that all was set for the unveiling of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as the country's candidate for the chairmanship of the African Union Commission (AUC) Tuesday.
Speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing Tokyo International Conference on Africa Development (TICAD-9) Ministerial Meeting that came to a close Sunday, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said that after the official launch of Mr Odinga's candidacy by President Ruto, it will be all systems go and nothing will be left to chance to ensure Kenya clinches the seat.
“The President will not be announcing only to the Kenyan people but also significantly to the continent and the international community at large that the official candidate for Kenya in the AUC race is non other than Raila Amolo Odinga," said Mr Mudavadi.
President Ruto has invited East African Community (EAC) Heads of State to grace his grand unveiling of Mr Odinga.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday confirmed that all the EAC Heads of State had been invited to the occasion that will mark the official launch of Mr Odinga’s campaigns ahead of the February 2025 elections.
The EAC's membership consists of eight States including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Republics of Burundi, Rwanda and South Sudan.
According to insiders, during the launch on Tuesday, the government and Mr Odinga's secretariat will be merged into one formidable unit.
There will also be the launch of his campaign website that was done by the government to help boost his prospects.
Mr Mudavadi, who is also the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, noted that the campaigns will be led by highly experienced and knowledgeable individuals to ensure a well-coordinated, targeted and result oriented output.
Dr Ruto is expected to name a team of strategists from the government side that will work jointly with Mr Odinga’s team at a joint secretariat already put up in Nairobi to enhance regional campaigns and shuttle diplomacy to secure Mr Odinga the AUC post.
Mr Odinga had already named his team which is composed of experienced diplomats including former Executive secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Mahboub Maalim, former Kenya's ambassador to the United States Elkanah Odembo, Ambassador Anthony Okara as well as Prof Makau Mutua and former Nyeri Deputy Governor Dr Caroline Karugu.
While in Tokyo, Mr Mudavadi seized the opportunity to rally several Foreign Affairs Ministers from the African Union member states in attendance at the conference to support Kenya’s bid.
“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,” the PCS said.
“Now we cannot afford to lose time as this election takes place in February 2025. Africa is huge and even before the official launch the President has been leading a lot of campaigns, approaching many of his colleagues in the continent, and now we must do the follow-up and jointly with the candidate consolidate ground," he added.
Among others, Mr Mudavadi met Foreign Ministers from Senegal, Liberia, Mauritania and Egypt where he presented the Kenyan case for consideration.
The Foreign and Diaspora Affairs cabinet secretary noted that focus would be on gaining more support and no ceding ground at any given point.
He had earlier stated that the campqign 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,” he said.
