Omanga hails Raila’s eloquence in AUC debate

Former nominated senator Millicent Omanga has lauded ex-Prime Minister Raila Odinga for his standout performance during the Mjadala Afrika debate held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Friday, December 13, 2024.

The debate which featured candidates vying for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship was broadcasted across the continent in six languages.

In her statement, Omanga commended Raila for his eloquence and composure, noting that his responses showcased his deep understanding of the role.

“Hon. Raila Odinga has demonstrated to the entire continent why he's the best in this race for AUC chairmanship. The eloquence and the impressive ease with which he tackled questions is clear proof that he understands the job very well,” Omanga said.

Omanga further acknowledged that Raila's rivals also did well but expressed confidence in his supremacy in the race stating that Raila’s opponents will have to cede to defeat.

“His opponents too did well, but in this race, they've no choice but to throw in the towel or be crushed! I'm not kidding, “ Omanga said.

Raila during the debate said that would be a fair representation of the continent to the security council.

He said that under his leadership, permanent representation for Africa, complete with veto powers, is a must.

He lamented that Africa, with 55 sovereign nations, does not have any seats yet Europe has three.

“I'm not going to talk about permanent representation. If the heads of state see it fit that I should head this, I will work with all the leadership of the continent to ensure that we get a fair treatment of the international scene,” he said.

He, however, attributed the continued under-representation of Africa to the fact that the UNSC was formed at a time most parts of Africa were colonies.

Raila said it was unacceptable that Africa with 1.4 billion people has no representation on the council.