Opposition leader Raila Odinga is set to become the official candidate for the East African Community for the position of the African Union Commission chairperson after Kenya formally submitted his name to the EAC secretariat for endorsement.
EAC secretariat secretary-general Peter Mathuki, in a letter to member states on March 21, 2024, said that it had received an official communication from the Kenyan government, informing members of the candidature of Odinga for the AUC chairperson position.
Mathuki also noted that the government of Kenya had asked the eight EAC member-states to endorse and support the Azimio leader as the region’s candidate for the position.
“The Republic of Kenya has officially communicated to the EAC secretary-general of their candidature for the position of the chairperson of the African Union Commission and further proposed the candidature of Raila Amolo Odinga, former Prime Minister for the position of the chairperson of AUC,” Mathuki said.
“The purpose of this letter therefore, is to inform you of this development and urge partners to mobilise support for the candidature of Raila Odinga given his immense experience in leadership and understanding of issues affecting our continent,” he added.
The EAC is made up of at least eight members, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Odinga was the inaugural AU high representative for infrastructure development, a position he held until February 2023. The election of the chairperson, AUC will be held in February 2025.
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The letter by Mathuku now means that should the eight-member states endorse Odinga, then the ODM leader could be a step closer to succeeding outgoing AUC chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat.
Odinga had in early March received a boost to his candidature after the AU Permanent Representatives Committee proposed changes reserving the AUC chairperson position to the East African region.
The proposed changes, which were later endorsed and ratified by the AU executive council, also abolished a previously proposed rule that would see the seat of the commission chairperson reserved for a woman in the spirit of gender equity.
Odinga has so far received the endorsement of most of the countries that make up the EAC, with the latest one being that of Rwandan President Paul Kagame who in March promised to back Odinga for the seat.
The endorsement by Kagame came days after President William Ruto told a gathering of the East African Legislative Assembly in Nairobi that the East African Community heads of state had agreed to back one candidate for chairmanship of the African Union Commission.
“We have sat down in the spirit of EAC, consulted as heads of state and agreed to front one candidate because that is the strength of our community,” Ruto said, adding that the decision was arrived at after intensive consultation.
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