By Leonard Wanyama
As the candidature of Ambassador Amina Mohammed gathers up steam and looks like an extremely good bet to back, segments of the Kenyan populace are still conflicted as to whether she is indeed up to the task for the post as the head of the African Union (AU) Commission.
This follows a recent interview on Al-Jazeera Upfront hosted by Mehdi Hasan, in which the CS appeared unprepared and dismissive on questions of human rights that were posed to her. Despite this, the administration still holds her in high regard and therefore views her performance on the show as a consequence of poor preparations due to a hectic diplomatic schedule.
President Uhuru Kenyatta is directly championing her candidacy having set up a cabinet committee to market her across the continent. The administration is also widely trumpeting her wealth of experience in international organisations
Following on up on her impressive hosting of the World Trade Organization 10th Ministerial Conference (WTO-MC10), the 14th United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD 14) and the Tokyo International Conference on Trade and Development (TICAD VI), Kenya views Ambassador Mohammed as the most qualified person to replace current chair Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
Dr Dlamini-Zuma’s term has been viewed in various quarters as a failure mainly for her silence on issues such as the Ebola crisis, drowning of migrants on the Mediterranean Sea, popular uprisings, electoral disputes and even engagement on issues surrounding the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Hence it is argued that there is a need for leadership with a different temperament that can invigorate the AU. Revitalisation of the institution is also expected to improve the AU engagement with the continent’s citizenry for whom the organisation has become far removed and disappointing in it responses.
Ambassador Mohammed has therefore been projected as the candidate to carry forward a much-needed transformational agenda that will focus on the continents security and political issues. However her real strength lies in the fact that she is a tenacious backroom negotiator who has improved Kenya’s image and enhanced investor confidence in the country that has resulted in increased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
Regional support has boosted the momentum of her campaign in the sense she has the core support of all countries from the East African Community (EAC) and the backing of 19 member countries from the Common Market of East and Southern Africa (COMESA) who are all impressed with her skill in public diplomacy and national branding.
Privately, the Kenyan government is pitching their candidate as one who is extremely familiar with the issues of the AU peace and security agenda, together with its Agenda 2063 on the continental future desired by all. Also, her origins and career path epitomises the possibilities of modernity for Muslim women if they are allowed to contribute equally within their societies.
More importantly, Kenya’s experiences with the ICC are serving as an important account on how successful lobbying ensured the country never fell out with the international community despite it hanging on the cliff edge of being an international pariah.
Ambassador Mohammed has also demonstrated exquisite finesse in having to deal with the persistent Franco-Anglo speaking differences therefore making the government highly confident that it will not matter if one woman gets to replace another especially on account of merit.
Author is a development practitioner and a part time lecturer of International Relations: @lennWanyama; lennWanyama@gmail.com
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