President William Ruto will formally unveil former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as the country’s candidate for the chairmanship of the African Union Commission (AUC) on Tuesday next week, marking the official launch of his campaigns.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who is also the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, said yesterday that Dr Ruto will give a formal roadmap for the continental campaigns.
Mr Mudavadi, who spoke during a second joint press briefing with Mr Odinga at his office at Kenya Railways in Nairobi, said the former PM’s quest for the top AUC post is a “national mission.”
“This is more than a candidacy; it is a national mission. Hon Raila Odinga represents Kenya’s voice, values and aspirations on the continent. As he steps forward, let us stand with him, not just as a government but as a united people,” Mr Mudavadi said.
“To fellow Kenyans, as a nation, we have always come together to stand behind our own, whether on the tracks, the fields, or on the global stage. Just as we cheered our athletes in the recent Olympic Games, let us lend our full support to Hon Raila as he carries the Kenyan flag high in the race for the chairmanship of the African Union Commission,” he added.
Mr Mudavadi said that the President will officially unveil Mr Odinga’s campaign team, adding that the secretariat will set the stage for rigorous campaigns across the continent.
Some of Mr Odinga's strategists include; Kenya's former ambassador to the United States Elkanah Odembo, former executive secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development Mahboub Maalim, ambassador Anthony Okara, Prof Makau Mutua and former Nyeri deputy governor Dr Caroline Karugu.
Mr Mudavadi said that in his application for the AUC chairmanship, Mr Odinga outlined his vision for the body.
He noted that it is hinged on various focal areas; they include African integration and infrastructure development, economic transformation of the continent, enhancing intra-African trade, financial independence, agricultural transformation, climate action, peace and security, youth empowerment, and gender equity and equality.
For his part, Mr Odinga said that he is glad that the government had formalised his candidature.
“We have already submitted our application as required by the AU at the secretariat and from now on its all systems go.
“I want to thank the leadership of the continent, who have expressed confidence, and also the people of my country Kenya — I will need your support in this campaign,” he said.
Mr Odinga noted that the African Union needs to be strengthened to be able to realise the dream of the founding fathers of the continent which envisages a united, peaceful and prosperous Africa.
If elected during the polls in February next year, Mr Odinga said he will pay keen attention to the challenges bedevilling the African continent.
“There are several areas where Africa is having a problem including health and education. There is need for wealth creation and a solution for employment.
“Many young African boys drown in the Mediterranean Sea as they try to run away from poverty to seek greener pastures in Europe. This should not happen.
“The issue of climate change is a major challenge. Africa is a victim rather than main offender. Africa pays a very heavy price. In Kenya we live between twin disasters —floods and drought.
“Many of our people perish and livestock dies. We must find a way of arresting this phenomenon. We need a stronger voice. As individual countries, Africa is weak. As a united Africa we can have a stronger voice to negotiate more effectively for compensation,” Mr Odinga said, adding that Africa should harness its resouces to become energy sufficient.
The AUC campaign strategists, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Dr Korir Sing’oei, Interior PS Dr Raymond Omollo and the PS for the State Department for Parliamentary Affairs in the office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, Aurelia Rono, were present.
Mr Mudavadi did not give the budget for the campaigns. In Kenya’s previous failed bid to capture the AUC chairmanship, it spent Sh437.7 million in a drive led by then Deputy President William Ruto, now the Head of State.
Data submitted to Parliament then showed that Sh437,776, 982 was spent in the campaigns, exceeding the set confidential expenditure by Sh52,095,299.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earmarked Sh385,681,683 for expenditure linked to campaigns for the then Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed’s bid for the post.
