Raila to Know AU Bid Fate as Executive Council Makes Decision Today
Today, Raila Odinga, the leader of the Azimio coalition, will discover the outcome of his aspirations to become the next Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC).
The Executive Council of the African Union Commission will convene at 10 am to review election suggestions that are pivotal in determining Raila’s prospects of assuming the position of the outgoing chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat.
“The 22nd Extraordinary Session of the Executive Council will consider the draft report on the preparation for the election of senior leadership of the African Union Commission in February 2025,” a press invite of the meeting reads in part.
The draft suggests that the next AUC chairperson should be female, potentially preventing the former prime minister from being selected for the role.
However, according to Gossipa2z.com, it has been determined that Raila might overcome this obstacle, as the Permanents Representatives Committee (PRC) has reached a consensus to postpone the gender proposal, allowing member parties to nominate candidates regardless of gender.
One of the suggestions included in the Executive Council’s preliminary decision is the proposal to reserve the chairperson position for an Eastern African state, as part of the rotational system for the region. Additionally, Northern Africa will nominate candidates for the deputy chairperson role, while the remaining six commissioner positions will be filled by others. This is another significant victory for Raila.
If approved, the mentioned proposition would limit the competition in the area, with President William Ruto affirming strong support for Raila. Another significant contender against Raila is Fawzia Yusuf Adam, a former Foreign Affairs Minister of Somalia, also originating from Eastern Africa.
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The Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC), consisting of union representatives, is responsible for managing the AU’s daily operations on behalf of the Assembly and the Executive Council. One of its primary duties involves organizing Executive Council sessions, which include setting the agenda and drafting decisions.
A hurdle might be an attempt to exclude nations whose representatives have previously served in AUC leadership positions.
“Any member state that occupied a position from that region should be ineligible for future elections until all member states of the region served as members of the senior leadership of the commission,” reads the proposal.
In the past, Kenya had a former deputy chair of the African Union Commission (AUC), Erastus Mwencha, who held the position from 2008 to 2017. However, with the current deputy, Monique Nsanzabaganwa, from Rwanda, both Kenya and Rwanda would be excluded from holding the deputy chair position simultaneously.
The council of significant importance, consisting of foreign ministers, will reach decisions on various matters either through consensus or by a two-thirds majority vote, with the outcome communicated to the Assembly. Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who also serves as the Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary, departed for Addis Ababa yesterday to participate in the meeting.
The recent advancements come after significant lobbying efforts by the ex-prime minister and President Ruto, to eliminate obstacles that have obstructed Raila’s progress.
His “successes” follow his discussions with President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda on their home turfs. Raila stated that Museveni assured support for his campaign, while also emphasizing his and Kagame’s dedication to African unity and solidarity.
He had discussions with numerous African leaders while he was present at the funeral of former Namibian President Hage Geingob.
Over the weekend, the opposition leader traveled to Addis Ababa to garner support for his candidacy in the African Union Commission (AUC). With a wide network of connections across the continent, Raila enjoys support from numerous influential figures who could sway the outcome of the race in his favor. Demonstrating his significant influence, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo publicly backed Raila’s bid, citing him as the most qualified candidate to lead the continental organization.
Ruto has demonstrated a strong dedication to supporting Raila’s achievements, actively encouraging neighboring states to support his candidacy and confirming as recently as last Friday that the region would support him.
“We are pushing the candidature of the former prime minister… I have consulted with the leaders within our region and we have agreed to support the candidature of the honorable Raila Odinga it is because he is Kenyan and we believe he has the stature and wherewithal to handle the affairs of that office,” Ruto said.
The government has initiated a comprehensive campaign aimed at securing funding from taxpayers. Mudavadi is spearheading the charm offensive, which also involves high-ranking officials from the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
The 79-year-old appears to have garnered backing from both Kenya Kwanza and Azimio legislators, spanning the political spectrum, as they come forward to support his bid for a position that could mark his exit from the realm of local politics.
If Raila is chosen either by election or consensus as permitted by the AUC regulations, he could serve a four-year term, with the possibility of renewal once. This would imply that he might not be active locally for up to eight years, potentially skipping the 2027 presidential election.
Driven politicians within the opposition Azimio coalition have detected a potential gap with Raila’s forthcoming departure. A considerable number within Azimio and his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) have encouraged him to strategize for his succession, leading to publicized disputes.
Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka is positioning himself as the successor to Raila, asserting his commitment to opposing government policies. He humorously remarked that Raila, reliant on state support for his AUC bid, may no longer fulfill this role.
In the ODM party, ex-governors Wycliffe Oparanya of Kakamega and Hassan Joho of Mombasa are contending for leadership, encountering competition from figures like National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.
The conflict has extended into Raila’s Nyanza stronghold, where Wandayi faces challenges from figures like Governor Gladys Wanga and legislators such as Babu Owino (representing Embakasi East) and John Mbadi (Nominated), in vying for control over the region.
Amid this turmoil, the experienced opposition figure has emphasized his willingness to offer “guidance” to ODM, a challenging task considering that the position of AUC chairperson requires impartiality.
The chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) holds the roles of the AU’s primary executive officer and legal spokesperson, while also serving as the commission’s principal financial officer.
Raila to Know AU Bid Fate as Executive Council Makes Decision Today