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We support Odinga's bid for top African Union job, says Museveni
African leaders including host President William Ruto and his counterparts Museveni, Samia Suluhu and Salva Kiir attend the launch of Raila Odinga's bid for AUC chairmanship at State House, Nairobi, Kenya on August 27, 2024.
What you need to know:
- The AU commission chair serves a four-year term, renewable once.
Kenya on Tuesday officially launched its quest for African Union (AU)'s top post with Uganda’s President Museveni saying, “we support the bid.”
Kenyan president William Ruto endorsed long-term opposition figure Raila Odinga to lead the AU’s executive body in a symbolic Nairobi gathering- attended by chair of the East African Community (EAC) bloc Salva Kiir Mayardit (South Sudan) and Tanzanian leader Samia Suluhu Hassan.
“I strongly appeal to the region to rally behind Odinga and adopt him as the region’s candidate. I urge that we go to Addis Ababa united behind Odinga. Let this be a regional campaign,” Kiir said at State House.
Aged 79, Odinga has at least five times failed to become Kenya’s president, including in 2022 when he lost to Ruto through elections.
“Raila Odinga embodies solid knowledge, experience and a deep understanding of African affairs and global dynamics," Ruto highlighted.
Odinga is among four senior African politicians who AU confirmed will be contesting for the post ---which has specifically been reserved for East Africa--- to succeed former Chad Prime Minister Moussa Faki Mahamat, executive head of the African Union Commission since 2017.
“Odinga is a visionary pan-African, a towering statesman and veteran mobiliser for change. In addition, he is also a bold leader who will give Africa a much-needed voice and presence at the global stage,” Ruto wrote on X.
Odinga noted that "together, we can and will create a peaceful, progressive, and prosperous Africa."
Uganda's President Museveni and Kenyan opposition figure Raila Odinga, who is bidding for AUC chairmanship pose for a photo in Nairobi, Kenya on August 27, 2024.
Other contenders for AUC chairmanship are Richard Randriamandrato (Madagascar), Mahamoud Ali Youssouf (Djibouti) and Anil Gayan (Mauritius) with an election to be conducted at the AU summit in February.
The election is conducted by secret ballot, but the winner must secure a majority of two thirds of the vote among eligible member states. AU comprises 55 member states.
The AU commission chair serves a four-year term, renewable once.
