Kenyan Government Launches Campaign Secretariat to Support Raila Odinga’s Bid for African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson.
Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, addressing the press from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Nairobi, disclosed that a consultative meeting with Mr. Odinga and his team was convened to assess the readiness levels for the coveted AU position.
“We are confident that the candidate will steadfastly pursue excellence, aligning with the continent’s unified vision for Africa in 2063, as outlined in the AUC development framework,” Mudavadi said.
Expressing unwavering confidence in Odinga’s ability to secure the position, Mudavadi emphasized the government’s commitment to wholeheartedly support the national candidate, providing any necessary assistance.
“To affirm our commitment, Odinga’s candidacy campaigns will now be led by the state, and the created secretariat will work closely with Mr. Odinga’s consultation team,” Mudavadi stated.
The team will prepare all the briefs for use by the candidate, develop campaign materials including digital presence, and prepare for the public debate to be broadcast live for African citizens.
“The team is diligently finalizing preparatory and application documents, including translating the resume into six languages: Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, French, English, and Kiswahili,” he emphasized, noting that submission preparations will be completed by the end of June, well ahead of the regional submission deadline set for August 6, 2024.
Odinga’s Response
In his response, Mr. Odinga warmly welcomed the government’s offer, expressing his readiness to collaborate closely with the respective teams to accomplish his ambitious endeavor.
“With dedicated and effective coordination between my team and the government, we anticipate securing the seat. We concurred that fostering synergy will be paramount as we proceed with the next steps, which entail submitting my application.”
“I am personally exerting every effort to leverage my experience, relationships, and deep understanding of the continent to garner support from as many nations as possible,” Odinga emphasized.
To date, Odinga has garnered endorsements from nine heads of state, including Kenya’s William Ruto, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, and Yoweri Museveni of Uganda.
Additionally, other leaders, as affirmed by Odinga, include: “Mama Suluhu has pledged her support, Salva Kiir has expressed acceptance. “Recently, I met with Ramaphosa, and he gave his affirmation, while Tshisekedi has also indicated his approval.”
