The African Union plans a public debate for candidates seeking to be chairperson of the continental body’s Commission, next month in what could be the first sighting of contenders’ capabilities.
Kenya’s former Prime Minister Raila Odinga , one of the frontrunners for the Chairperson’s seat will appear in a televised debate alongside rivals, Djibouti’s foreign minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, former Madagascar foreign minister Richard James Randriamandrato and his Mauritius counterpart Anil Kumarsingh Gayan.
The debate dubbed Mjadala Afrika will be held in Addis Ababa, the seat of the African Union on December 13 and will be televised and streamed live on the internet across the AU member states, with concurrent translations in all the formal languages of the bloc.
These include French, English, Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swahili.
Mr Odinga has argued that he is the best bet for Africa, saying he is persuaded that his vision and priorities will propel Africa to a new era of sustainable peace, continental integration, shared prosperity and meaningful partnerships.
The debate comes as Mauritian’s candidate looked unlikely to contest. Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam earlier this week assured President William Ruto of his country’s support for Mr Odinga.
“I have had a telephone conversation with the newly-elected Prime Minister of Mauritius, Hon. Navinchandra Ramgoolam... Prime Minister Ramgoolam confirmed his support for Kenya's candidate to the African Union Commission Chairperson, Hon Raila Odinga, for which I expressed much appreciation,” President Ruto said.
Gayan himself has not formally withdrawn from the race. And although he publicly launched the candidature, he has hardly campaigned for it.
Mjadala Afrika will provide a platform for the candidates to address African citizens, focusing on policy issues and a solutions-oriented engagement on how each candidate intends to advance the realisation of the aspirations and goals of Agenda 2063.
Mr Odinga has argued that he is the best bet for Africa, saying he is persuaded that his vision and priorities will propel Africa to a new era of sustainable peace, continental integration, shared prosperity and meaningful partnerships.
He has travelled most of West African countries this past week, seeking endorsements from a region that had been elusive in the past for Kenyan contenders.
The commission announced that the Mjadala Afrika debate will give all the candidates an opportunity to air their plans for the continent.
“In 2017, the first ever Africa Leadership Debate dubbed Mjadala Afrika was held as a platform for candidates vying for the position of the Chairperson of the AUC to address African citizens in an environment that encouraged dialogue and understanding of the role and its responsibilities.
“The debate provided candidates an opportunity to outline their vision of how they would lead the transformation of Africa through the implementation of the AU Mandate and Africa’s Agenda 2063,” said the African Union Commission.
According to the Commission, the debate also allows African citizens and other stakeholders to put forward questions to the candidates on issues they wanted to be addressed in order to propel the continent’s growth and ensure Africa achieves its goals for integrated and sustainable development and becoming a major player in the Global Arena.
“Following the success of this initial debate and in line with the institutional reforms of the African Union, in November 2018, the Assembly adopted a decision to enhance the transparency and meritocracy of the selection of the leadership of the AU Commission, in conformity with the institutional Reforms of the African Union in November 2018.”
Mr Odinga has set out 10-priority areas as his program of action for the continent should he be elected in February next year’s election.
Among the 10- priority areas include; peace and security, infrastructure, economic transformation, harnessing Africa’s youth potential, gender equity and equality, agricultural transformation.
“We must return unity to the top of our priorities. Without unity in a fast-consolidating and changing world, Africa will continue to be marginalised, exploited and irrelevant,” he warned during his AUC campaign launch in Addis Ababa early this month.
The youth, Mr Odinga said, is the biggest asset that Africa has because 70 per cent of them were below the ages of 35.
“This can be an asset, or it can also be a challenge. Because the youth, if they are not empowered, they become a drag on the economy. They become drug addicts, they become criminals,” the former Premier said, empowering them they become the biggest resource.
“But we first need to give the youth the requisite tools that they require to be able to create wealth for our continent,” he said.
Mr Odinga has also promised to address the “catastrophic climate change and its detrimental impact on Africa's development”.
He argues that despite Africa's minimal contribution to global emissions, it suffers disproportionately from the impacts of greenhouse gases.
African people, he adds, must not pay for a problem that they had no part in creating.
“Together let us advocate for Africa’s central role in global initiatives for climate action, including adaptation, mitigation, and building resilience informed by climate science.”
“I also commit to mobilising support for enhanced early warning systems and rapid responses to climate-induced shocks. Further, I will promote climate-positive investments and financing, leverage renewable energy resources, and integrate climate-smart strategies into our economic plans to secure a sustainable future for Africa and beyond.”
