Lawyer Danstan Omari : Why Raila might not get AU Commission job
Constitutional Lawyer Danstan Omari has shared his perspective on the potential challenges that may prevent Opposition Leader Raila Odinga from obtaining the position of Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
During the Monday interview, Omari expressed the view that Raila’s ambition is limited to seeking the position, and he won’t achieve success in obtaining it.
The lawyer explained that the African Union’s action could potentially create obstacles for Raila in securing the position, citing specific reasons.
“It is unfortunate for Kenyans that Raila Odinga will not get the AU seat. If the AU wanted Raila to get that seat, they could not have appointed President William Ruto to be the person to preside over the elections of the AU Commission,” Omari said on K24 TV.
The attorney argued that if Ruto took on the role of ‘Chebukati’ in the AU elections, he would face a conflict of interest as perceived by other African nations.
Last week, Raila unexpectedly declared his candidacy for the role of Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
If approved for the position, he would essentially be excluded from Kenya’s political scene during the upcoming General Election, as he would be obligated to hold the position until 2028.
Raila will maintain his eligibility to vote in Kenya as a citizen, but he will be restricted, and unable to engage in active political participation.
Following the announcement, the leader of the opposition has received support from diverse sectors, signifying a significant juncture in the path of one of Kenya’s highly regarded politicians aspiring to take on a prominent role in African leadership.
On Sunday, the government expressed complete support for opposition leader Raila Odinga’s candidacy for the position of head of the African Union (AU) Commission.
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The Kenya Kwanza administration called on leaders to set aside their political disagreements and unite in support of opposition leader Raila’s candidacy for the African Union Commission chairperson role.
Addressing the press on Sunday, Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura confirmed that President William Ruto’s government strongly supports Raila’s candidacy for the top position at the African Union.
“If he gets an opportunity to serve us at the AU as the chair, we as Kenyans forget all our differences and rally behind a fellow Kenya. If Raila has expressed interest, we would rather have him there because when he is there the interests of Kenya are taken care of. We as a government fully support his candidature,” he said.
The Azimio principals have additionally supported the determination of the coalition leader to compete for the chairmanship of the African Union Commission.
Last week, the school leaders stated that the ODM leader is well-suited to assume the upcoming continental role that will become available in the early part of next year.
“As Azimio we endorse Raila for the chairperson following Thursday’s public announcement,” Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka said.
“We call upon our compatriots to give support to Odinga.”
Kalonzo was in the company of Martha Karua, the leader of Narc Kenya, Eugine Wamalwa from DAP-K, Peter Munya from PNU, and George Wajackoyah, the leader of Roots.
Lawyer Danstan Omari : Why Raila might not get AU Commission job