Kenya sets up campaign team to lead Odinga’s bid for AU Commission chairmanship

NAIROBI, Kenya | Xinhua | Kenya on Wednesday set up a campaign secretariat to work with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in his bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson.

The campaign will be led by highly experienced and knowledgeable officers, said Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi, who addressed a joint press conference with Odinga in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.

The 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, Mudavadi said

“Kenya is firmly convinced that our candidate, Odinga, possesses the credentials and the fervor to champion Africa’s interests on the global stage,” he told journalists.

On his part, Odinga said he will be determined to transform the face of Africa and realign it to become an economic superpower if he secures the AUC chairmanship.

Odinga previously served as the African Union’s High Representative for Infrastructure Development until his tenure ended in 2023.

“To truly realize Africa’s potential, the AU must adopt a proactive and strategic approach in overcoming the persistent obstacles that hinder our collective progress,” Mudavadi said.

Mudavadi underlined the importance of Kenya’s bid for the AUC chairmanship and reiterated that Odinga epitomizes the visionary leadership required to uplift the African Union to new heights.

The AUC chairperson’s seat is set to fall vacant in February 2025 when its current occupant, Moussa Faki Mahamat of Chad, finishes his second term. ■