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Former prime minister Raila Odinga (PHOTO: FILE)
Former prime minister Raila Odinga's campaigns for the African Union Commission chairperson have entered a crucial phase amid intense lobbying.
The elections for the continent's top job are scheduled for February 2025.
Raila is among the frontrunners alongside Djibouti Foreign Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf in the battle to succeed outgoing AUC chairperson Moussa Faki.
Raila's AUC campaign secretariat is working on multiple strategies to enhance his chances to win the polls expected to be hotly contested.
On Thursday, former Kenyan ambassador to USA Elkana Odembo, who is one of Raila's strategists said the campaigns have been intensified.
"We have entered a crucial phase and are working round the clock to ensure that we secure support for Kenya's candidate, former prime minister Raila Odinga,'' he said.
Raila has been traversing the continent and even attending global summits alongside President William Ruto as part of the government's efforts to seek support for his candidacy.
Kenya is keen to secure enough support for its candidature amid strong opposition from Djibouti's candidate ahead of next year's polls.
On Tuesday, Raila, accompanied by his brother Oburu Odinga, attended the opening ceremony of the renovated Africa Hall in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
"I toured the Africa Hall here in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Africa boasts of prominent scholars, artists, political leaders, diplomats, and environmentalists. In many ways, these are ordinary people who have distinguished themselves doing ordinary things with remarkable exceptionalism," Raila wrote on his X account.
Raila said that while his time at the Africa Hall had been a moment of profound inspiration and indescribable pride as an African; it was also an occasion that challenged him deeply.
"I have had my faith in the potential of the African Lion affirmed," he said.
During his tour, Raila interacted with senior world leaders including UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutterres.
Raila also held a meeting with Herve Djopke the ambassador of Benin to Ethiopia as part of his campaigns to seek support of African countries for his AUC bid.
"Kenya and Benin enjoy historical cordial relations as member states of the African Union. I took the opportunity to appraise him on my AUC campaigns," Raila said.
In the coming weeks, the campaign secretariat is expected to rump up campaigns that will see Raila visit continental capitals to seek the support of heads of state ahead of next year's polls.
Special focus will be given to regional blocs that are considered integral in anchoring his campaigns across countries including Western, Central, Southern and Northern Africa.
Doe Raila to clinch the coveted position needs 2/3 of the 55 countries that will vote but geo politics language and religion by the member states will play a key role in who wins next year’s elections.
However, 6 members have been suspended because of either war or hostile takeovers in government.
These are Sudan, Gabon, Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger and Guinea. This means Raila needs at least 33 votes to succeed Faki.
Several factors will come into play as the campaigns heat up. Religion, age, the Anglo and francophone divide, Western influence and the emerging forces in the continent such as Russia and China are some of the elements that may tilt the scale of the election.
Eastern Africa is faced with the Anglophone-Francophone divide where Mauritius Djibouti and Madagascar are Francophone as are other 17 countries in Eastern, Western, Northern and Central Africa.