Despite Raila Odinga's loss in the race for the African Union Commission Chairperson, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has affirmed Kenya's commitment to the African Union and its mission of continental development and unity.
The AUC election, held during the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Saturday, saw Djibouti’s Foreign Minister Youssouf Mohamed, secure the top position.
Acknowledging the outcome of the election, Wetang’ula pointed out that as is the nature of contests, some are won while some are lost.
“As with all contests, some we win, and some we don't, but we remain committed as Africanists,” he said while addressing the press on Wednesday.
“We remain dedicated to the cause of the African Union and to the mission of liberating Africa from deep-rooted poverty.”
He stated that it is time to alleviate Africa and aim towards social and economic transformation, noting that despite being the richest continent in the world, it is home to the poorest people on the planet.
Wetang'ula extended his congratulations to Youssouf, calling on the new AUC Chairperson to unite all African nations and focus on advancing the continent’s development.
“We want to see social transformation in Africa,” he said, urging Youssouf to “embrace all countries in Africa regardless of who voted for him and who did not so that we put our continent in a place that it deserves.”
“We should put our continent in a place that it deserves, so we are not on the agenda of world leadership, we sit at the table of world leadership,” he said.
“So that we are not invited to where world leaders are sitting, we invite others to where world leaders are sitting because we belong to that table.”
Wetang’ula emphasised that Kenya’s support for Raila’s candidacy was not just about individual success but a national and continental effort.
“We have been on tenterhooks for the past week, praying for and supporting the candidature of our brother, Raila Amolo Odinga, to become the Chairperson of the African Union Commission," he said.
"The candidature of Raila was not just his candidature; it was the candidature of the Republic of Kenya and its people."
