Part of Raila Odinga's AUC campaign power team.
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s campaign secretariat has tapped into the expertise of ex-diplomats and various strategists for his African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship bid.
The team held its first strategy meeting in Nairobi on Friday last week ahead of Mr Odinga's final campaign launch in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Friday, November 8.
The advisory team consisting of seasoned diplomats, experts, and strategists has been clustered into five regional groups consisting of Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western and Central Africa’s diplomatic strategy towards Kenya’s successful bid for AUC.
Mr Odinga’s campaign secretariat said last week's meeting was jointly organised by the team in conjunction with the Global Centre for Policy and Strategy (GLOCEPS) led by its Executive Director Dr Ken Asembo.
"Last week's meeting was to tap into the enormous experience and expertise of former diplomats, thought leaders, and academics including some of Kenya's former diplomats with extensive networks that now need to be leveraged to get us the needed support," Mr Odinga's secretariat said.
The meeting conducted an "extensive SWOT analysis of Kenya's place in the region and the Continent."
The Secretariat together with the Think Tank GLOCEPS is following up the one-day Summit by developing a structure that will facilitate regular engagement with some of the diplomats and thought leaders who have offered to support the campaign.
The Northern Africa’s diplomatic strategy team has Prof Makumi Mwagiru, Dr Hassan Khannenje, Amb Boaz Mbaya, Prof Mohamud Jama and Herman Manyora while the Southern team has Amb Anthony Okara, Amb Catherine Mwangi, Prof Ochieng Kamudhayi, Prof Karuti Kanyinga and Dismus Mokua.
The Eastern team consists of; Amb Muita Muburi, Amb Salim Salim, Prof Noah Midamba, Dr Janet Kiguru, Col (Rtd) Godfrey Gitonga, Dr Sylvia Wakena, while the Western group has Lieutenant General (Rtd) Lazaro Sumbeiywo, Alexander Muteshi Imbenzi, Brig Gen (Rtd) Wilson Boinnet, Amb Tom Amolo, Dr Kizito Sabala, Dr Sylvia Wakena, and Central has Amb Ali Guyo, Amb Dr George Masafu, Amb John Mwangemi, Amb Dr Josephine Ojiambo, Dr Peter Kirui and Wilfred Nasong’o Muliro.
Part of Raila Odinga's AUC campaign power team.
Foreign Principal Secretary Dr Korir Sing’oei and former Kenya ambassador to the US Elkanah Odembo had been unveiled by President Ruto as the heads of the campaign secretariat.
Other members of the team include; former Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Mahboub Maalim and ex-ambassador Anthony Okara.
Task ahead
Mr Odembo told the Nation that the strategy team discussed the strengths and weaknesses of Kenya’s bid and gave a clear roadmap for campaigns to bolster the strengths and arrest the weaknesses.
“We asked the team to come out very strongly and candidly talk about the strengths and weaknesses of Kenya as a country in this regional geopolitics,” Mr Odembo said.
He pointed out that they will then tap into that to boost Mr Odinga’s campaigns.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Dr Korir Sing’oei told the Nation that the country was also set for Mr Odinga’s campaign bid launch in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia this Friday.
“The launch will mainly involve Addis-based diplomats. We shall apprise them of the candidate’s concrete plans to elevate the AU, enhance its prestige and position it as the anchor negotiator for Africa vis a vis other regions in the context of an emerging and complex multipolar world,” Dr Sing’oei said.
He disclosed that there shall also be a media breakfast on Saturday, November 9.
Kenya already launched Mr Odinga’s bid in Nairobi on August 27, a ceremony that was attended by various East African Community Heads of State who endorsed his candidacy and expects to boost its visibility by the Addis launch next month.
President Ruto presided over the launch in Nairobi while EAC Chairman Salva Kiir Mayardit, who is also the president of South Sudan, led the regional presidents in endorsing Mr Odinga for the top continental post.
President Mayardit, among his EAC colleagues Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (Uganda), Samia Suluhu Hassan (Tanzania), Burundi Prime Minister Gervais Ndirakobuca, Rwanda President Paul Kagame’s representative – Foreign Affairs Minister James Kabarebe all declared in unequivocal terms their country’s support for Mr Odinga.
On Thursday last Week, the Head of State attended the 23rd summit of Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) Heads of State and Government in Bujumbura, Burundi, where he also vouched for Mr Odinga’s AUC candidacy.
The president also met with the Presidents of Egypt and Zambia, as well as the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, and mobilised support for Kenya's candidacy for the AUC.
Dr Sing’oei said Mr Odinga did not attend the summit due to “prior commitments."
