Belgut MP Nelson Koech has termed the possible exit of Raila Odinga from local politics as a blow to the country's opposition.
Speaking on Citizen TV on Monday, the legislator said should Raila win the AU chairmanship seat and exit local politics, it would deal a huge blow to the opposition of the country.
Koech said Raila is a political survivor who has withstood time and has given value to the country's democracy.
"The exiting of Raila from our local politics deals a huge blow to the opposition of this country because without him in all fairness and with all due respect the opposition is deemed to be very limited if there will be any," Koech said.
"In the history of this country there is no political survivor who has withstood time like Raila; he has given value to our democracy, given value to our debate and national discourse."
According to the MP, the opposition leader is the best candidate for the AU seat since he has all it takes as a serious candidate for the position.
He, however, noted that despite the country being solidly behind Raila, there is still much to be done both by the government and Raila himself.
"We are not safe, there is a lot of work that has to be done by both the government and by Raila himself, it is not easy, it is a campaign that I don’t see Kenya government losing," he said.
On Saturday, ODM party member Fred Odumo said the party will hold even if its party leader successfully assumes the African Union Commission chairmanship in Addis Ababa.
Odumo termed those celebrating that ODM will die as soon as Raila becomes AU chairperson as peddlers of falsehoods.
The legal practitioner, says the party has structures which will guide it should Raila leave to serve in a different sector.
“Raila has a right like any other candidate to seek the position and the ODM party will not hold him back fearing a vacuum,” he said.
He noted that the party will soldier on and continue with its activities uninterrupted.
Defence CS Aden Duale on Friday said the government will fully back Raila's candidature for the chairman of the African Union Commission (AUC).
The former prime minister said he is ready to serve in that position, having previously held the position of AU High Representative for Infrastructure.
"I am inclined to accept the challenge and I am ready and I offer myself to be of service. I have asked my friend (Former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo to continue to be a good ambassador and talk to other people," Raila said.
Duale said that the time had come for the seat to be occupied by a person from East Africa describing Raila as a very good national leader.
