Raila should retire if he loses AUC bid - Kalonzo
Kalonzo, however, said he wishes Raila well in the AUC bid
4d agoPERPETUA ETYANGRealtime
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has affirmed that the government is confident that former Prime Minister Raila Odinga will win the African Union Commission chairperson seat.
Kindiki further said President William Ruto is Raila’s biggest campaigner ahead of the elections in mid-February.
“After the elections, Ruto and Raila agreed that Kenya should have a candidate in the AUC elections. And because they have been friends for long, from the days Ruto was in ODM, they agreed that Kenya’s candidate should be Raila,” he said.
“The first voter for Raila will be William Ruto. The chief agent and mobiliser will be William Ruto.”
Speaking during a development tour of Kisumu City, Kindiki added that they are confident Raila will emerge victorious in the election.
“We are confident Raila will be the next chair,” he reiterated.
Kindiki said Raila is qualified for the position and deserves the seat.
Africa’s heads of state are scheduled to pick Moussa Faki
Mahamat’s successor during the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the
Heads of State and Government, which will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on
February 15 and 16.
Raila will face Djibouti’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, and Madagascar’s former Foreign Affairs Minister Richard Randriamandrato in the elections.
Kenya for the second time has a candidate in the AUC chairperson race after nominating former Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed for the job in 2016.
The chairperson is elected by member states, excluding countries under military rule.
Out of 55 African countries, 48 AU states are eligible to vote. A candidate must garner a two-thirds majority of the votes cast.
The new AU chairman will be faced with the enormous task of tackling Africa’s problems ranging from high poverty levels, runaway debt, insecurity, illiteracy and poor health services among others.
A staunch advocate for Pan-Africanism, Raila has outlined an ambitious vision for the continent.
He has pledged to accelerate Africa's development and enhance the continent’s self-reliance, unity, and sustainability.
He envisions an Africa that rises above its historical challenges, realising its full potential through a new era of progressive leadership.
