- As it stands, Raila has already bagged the support of 19 countries and only needs to woo 15 more to hit the magical 34 votes needed to clinch the seat in round one.
- He’s up against Djibouti's Minister of Foreign Affairs Mahmoud Youssouf, Anil Gayan (Mauritius) and Richard Randriamandrato (Madagascar)
Image: FILE
Raila Odinga’s bid for the African Union Commission chairmanship is no doubt a huge topic across the continent, particularly given the attention his stature as a seasoned politician and Pan-Africanist attracts.
As it stands, Raila has already bagged the support of 19 countries and only needs to woo 15 more to hit the magical 34 votes needed to clinch the seat in round one during the February 2025 polls.
He’s up against Djibouti's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mahmoud Youssouf, Anil Gayan (Mauritius) and Richard Randriamandrato (Madagascar).
“Somalia will likely not vote for Baba for obvious reasons,” journalist Mwangi Maina said.
Maina focuses on penning opinion pieces touching on Kenya’s foreign policy and reports on issues about Africa.
In his opinion on X, the journalist avers that despite being a neighbouring country, Somalia is unlikely to throw its weight behind Raila in the AUC race due to geopolitical reasons.
“Not showing up in Nairobi or sending any official other than the ambassador, who attended only because an invite was sent to the diplomatic corps, is a clear message,” Mwangi said.
The journalist further alluded to decades-long strained ties between Somalia and breakaway Somaliland since their failed attempt at forming a unified republic.
Somaliland and Somalia attempted a union in 1960, ‘the Somali Republic’, but Somaliland broke away from the union in 1991 and declared independence after the overthrow of Somali military dictator Siad Barre.
“As it stands, Somaliland is Mogadishu's top foreign policy priority. The deal between Ethiopia and Somaliland is currently the hottest issue in the Horn,” Mwangi said.
His post caught the attention of Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary, Korir Sing’oei, who rebuffed him over his sentiments.
“Says the same man who loudly proclaimed Tanzania would field a candidate for this position barely a month ago. Sometimes it helps to hold one’s peace when the game is a little beyond our capacity to comprehend,” the PS said.
Sing’oei is leading a dedicated secretariat unveiled by Ruto to spearhead the campaign for Raila’s AUC bid.
He is assisted in that assignment by Ambassador Elkana Odembo to coordinate efforts across the continent to bolster Raila’s chances of succeeding Chad’s Moussa Faki Mahamat whose term ends early next year.
Kenya officially unveiled Raila’s candidature at a glamorous event held at State House, Nairobi, on Tuesday, attended by regional leaders including three sitting presidents.
President William Ruto endorsed his former nemesis turned ally as the best fit for the AUC job, describing him as a “veteran mobiliser for positive change.”