Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua now says Raila Odinga is the best fit for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairman position.
Gachagua said Raila’s worldview and championship for the African people undoubtedly make him the best-suited candidate to lead the continent into the future.
“Kenya's finest Raila Odinga is undoubtedly the best bet for the African Union Commission chairmanship. Africa deserves the best,” he said.
“As a continent, we need a Raila Odinga character to gel the Anglophone and the Francophone selves towards the continent of the future.”
The concept of Anglophone and Francophone selves often refers to the way linguistic identities shape political perspectives, conflicts and governance in bilingual or multilingual nations.
It is particularly relevant in countries where language is deeply tied to historical and political struggles.
Gachagua said Raila’s win in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, will imprint his quest for the African Spirit that the former Prime Minister has lived and championed.
He emphasised that Raila’s win will positively impact the continent.
“Raila Odinga's win will be good and progressive for Africa. His victory will be a win for Kenya, our motherland,” he said.
The AUC chair elections will be held on Saturday, February 15, in Addis Ababa.
Raila is contesting against Mahamoud Ali Youssouf of Djibouti and Richard Randriamandrato of Madagascar, in the high-stakes race.
A last-minute move by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), has made the race tighter after the 16 member states were urged to back Randriamandato.
Raila had been counting on support from SADC nations to strengthen his chances against his rivals.
Under the African Union rules, voting is done by secret ballot and shall continue until one of the candidates obtains the support of two-thirds of the 55 AU member states, translating to 33 votes.
