The Inside Story: Why Raila is in China with President Ruto
Mr. Odinga will join President William Ruto at the 9th Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which will take place from September 4 to 6.
Odinga is slated to deliver a keynote address on infrastructure development.
Odinga’s presence is significant as the former AU High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa from 2018-2023.
Dr. Korir Sing’oei, head of Odinga’s campaign secretariat and Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed to Nation that Odinga is in China as a vital infrastructure partner for Africa.
“Candidate Odinga will engage with various leaders to discuss his infrastructure initiatives within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, which is a key component of China-Africa cooperation,” Dr. Sing’oei explained.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, also attending the forum, noted that while President Ruto has conducted bilateral talks with China’s President Xi Jinping to strengthen ties and explore new avenues of cooperation, he will also engage with African presidents to enhance regional cooperation.
“He will hold bilateral meetings with Heads of State and Government (HoS/G) from various African nations to promote regional collaboration and advance Kenya’s bid for the Chair of the African Union Commission,” Mudavadi stated.
Former Kenyan ambassador to the United States, Elkanah Odembo, who, along with Dr. Sing’oei, is leading Odinga’s campaign, said that the FOCAC summit presents an excellent opportunity for Odinga to have direct conversations with African presidents on the sidelines of the conference.
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“There’s no need for speculation about Odinga’s presence at FOCAC. He must now seek votes from the Presidents and HoS/G of AU Member States,” Odembo told Nation.
Odinga is proud of his contributions to advancing the African Union Commission’s Program for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) during his tenure as the AU High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa.
In his blueprint for the AUC position, Odinga highlights his role in rallying political support from Member States and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to promote Africa’s infrastructure connectivity and integration.
“He further mobilized support for continental projects, demonstrating a commitment to effective delivery and building consensus across the continent,” the document states.
Odembo emphasized that during Odinga’s tour of China, he will seek support from the attending presidents, who will decide the next AUC chairman in the February 2025 election in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“He must go to where the Presidents are, whether in their respective countries or at events like FOCAC,” Odembo told Nation on Tuesday.
Outgoing AUC Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat is among the regional Heads of State attending the FOCAC summit.
On Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to enhance political engagement and practical cooperation with Africa to promote shared development during talks with Mahamat.
By Monday, several African leaders had arrived in Beijing ahead of the forum, including President Ruto, Cyril Ramaphosa (South Africa), Colonel Assimi Goïta (Mali), Denis Sassou Nguesso (Congo-Brazzaville), Bola Tinubu (Nigeria), Lazarus Chakwera (Malawi), Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno (Chad), Paul Biya (Cameroon), and Ismail Omar Guelleh (Djibouti).
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Others expected to attend include Dr. Julius Maada Bio (Sierra Leone), Mamady Doumbouya (Guinea), Isaias Afwerki (Eritrea), Emmerson Mnangagwa (Zimbabwe), Wavel Ramkalawan (Seychelles), and Felix Tshisekedi (Democratic Republic of Congo).
Several others were expected to arrive by Tuesday evening.
Odembo informed the Nation that the secretariat would intensify its efforts to gain support from Francophone Nations, which would bolster Odinga’s chances of winning the continental post.
The nation has learned that Kenya is heavily relying on President Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo-Brazzaville to enhance its standing among Francophone nations.
On Tuesday, President Ruto took steps to solidify Kenya’s partnership with Congo-Brazzaville.
“I held talks with President Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo-Brazzaville in Beijing, China, where we are both attending the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit,” President Ruto said.
Odembo stated that from the start of the summit on September 4, they would assess the number of African Heads of State and Government present and plan to ensure Odinga engages with them to seek their votes.
Dr. Sing’oei emphasized that the government is leaving no stone unturned in its efforts to secure Odinga’s victory.
Following President Ruto’s announcement of Odinga as Kenya’s candidate in the presence of East African Community (EAC) leadership, the government committed to an all-out campaign.
EAC Chairman Salva Kiir Mayardit, also the President of South Sudan, led the regional presidents in endorsing Odinga for the top continental post.
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President Mayardit, along with EAC colleagues Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (Uganda), Samia Suluhu Hassan (Tanzania), Burundi Prime Minister Gervais Ndirakobuca, and Rwanda President Paul Kagame’s representative – Foreign Affairs Minister James Kabarebe, all unequivocally declared their support for Odinga.
Odinga’s campaign secretariat is already implementing multi-faceted strategies to engage African Heads of State and Government, urging them to support Kenya in the February 2025 election.
Beyond the EAC, the secretariat is also targeting other Regional Economic Communities (RECs), which are key pillars of the AU, to boost its campaign.
These include the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).
The government is deploying its ambassadors across the continent and enlisting influencers to advocate for Kenya’s candidate.
It remains unclear how much the government has allocated for the campaign.
However, Mudavadi has confirmed that financial resources will be provided for the operations.
In Kenya’s previous unsuccessful bid for the AUC chairmanship, the country spent KSh 437.7 million on the campaign, led by then Deputy President Ruto, now the Head of State.
Data presented to Parliament revealed that KSh 437,776,982 was spent on the campaigns, surpassing the allocated confidential expenditure by KSh 52,095,299.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had initially allocated KSh 385,681,683 for the campaign linked to former Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed’s bid for the post in the year leading up to June 2017.
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“AUC campaign expenditure as captured in the initial working schedules stood at KSh 437,776,982, differing from the certified amount by KSh 52,095,299,” Macharia Kamau, the then Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary, told Parliament.
“This discrepancy is related to the AUC campaigns conducted by the Deputy President, initially charged under the AUC campaign funds but later transferred to State Visits expenditure,” he added.
Ms. Mohamed lost her bid to become the continent’s top diplomat to her Chadian counterpart, Moussa Faki Mahamat, in the vote.
Odinga is now facing Djibouti’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mahmoud Youssouf, former Mauritius Foreign Minister Anil Kumarsingh Gayan, and former Madagascar Foreign Minister Richard James Randriamandrato.
Odembo disclosed that the budget for the current mission would be developed at the ministerial level.
“This is a national mission, and resources will indeed be made available. We anticipate that the cabinet will approve a budget to strengthen the campaigns,” he said.
He also mentioned that, given the national importance, they expect contributions from the business sector, private sector, and corporations to support the campaigns.
Why Raila is in China with President Ruto
