Opposition chief Raila Odinga will from next week begin a marathon whirlwind tour to drum up support for his African Union Commission chair candidature.
A campaign schedule of the former Prime Minister shows increased engagements months to the February 2025 elections.
Raila will face three other candidates for the AUC chairmanship who had submitted their applications for the post by the Tuesday deadline.
The three are Djibouti’s Mohamoud Ali Youssouf, Anil Kumarsingh Gayan (Mauritius) and Richard Randriamandrato (Madagascar).
The four beat the August 6 deadline for the submission of applications.
The vote is seen as a referendum on President William Ruto’s influence in the region as he pushes for Raila.
Already, the President has mobilised the country’s foremost diplomats to pitch for the former Prime Minister.
On Thursday, Raila met European Union Ambassador to Kenya Henriette Geiger, where they rooted for African Union reforms geared towards a united and integrated continent.
Raila said the two agreed on the need for a united and integrated Africa, inspired by the EU model.
“Had a fruitful discussion with Henriette Geiger on necessary AU reforms, boosting intra-Africa trade, climate action, and investing in education and infrastructure,” Raila said on X after meeting Geiger on Thursday.
The Thursday meeting is part of the engagement with global players the Azimio leader has been engaged in since announcing his intention to vie for the continental job early this year.
The ODM boss has been receiving delegations from the globe in his office, as he builds a strong base for the hotly contested post.
Raila has crafted a detailed cross-Africa campaign starting with a visit to Brazzaville in Congo next week to seek the support of Sasso Nguesso.
Apart from wielding outsize influence in French speaking West and Central Africa, Nguesso, is also regarded as the ‘dean’ of the Francophones.
The Francophones network is made up of 26 member states including Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo (Republic), Democratic Republic of Congo, and Madagascar.
Others are Ivory Coast, Niger, Mali, Senegal, Guinea, Rwanda, Togo, Gabon, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Comoros and Seychelles.
Next week’s visit comes two weeks after Raila visited Juba and holding meetings with chair of East Africa Community Salva Kiir.
Former Ambassador of Kenya to United States Elkanah Odembo, who is among the team of diplomats leading Raila’s campaign, told the Star the Juba visit was critical in consolidating the regional vote.
“During Raila visit to Juba, Kiir committed to mobilising EAC to support Kenya and to campaign collectively for Kenya,” Odembo said.
From Congo, Raila will head to Dakar in Senegal, to galvanise the support of the giant Economic Community of West African States block.
Ecowas has 15 member countries.
“Raila will also attend a Comesa summit in Bujumbura and in September we plan to get him to the UNGA, the largest annual gathering of global leaders in NYC,” Odemba said.
The 79th UN General Assembly will be held in New York from September 10 to 24 this year.
In November, the opposition chief will be among participants of the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP20) in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Odembo said the opposition boss will also hold roundtable meetings with major continental corporate to discuss among other things, the opportunities in Africa.
“Before the end of the year, he must visit each of the regional economic communities. During those visits, he will also have business roundtables with corporate leaders, to hear from them the challenges and opportunities for Africa’s economic growth, trade and regional integration,” Odemba said.
Africa head of states will in February vote for eight positions including chairperson, deputy chairperson and six commission slots.
The deputy chairperson attracted six other candidates including Salah Elhamdi (Algeria), Salma Malika (Algeria), Dr Hanan Morsy (Egypt), Mohamed Ahmed Fathi (Egypt), Najat Hajjaji (Libya) and Latifa Akharbach (Morocco).
A record 30 candidates submitted papers for the six commission slots that will also fall vacant ahead of the next year’s polls.
According to the regional rotation that dictates 2025 elections, North Africa will submit male and female candidates for the role of deputy chairperson.
The remaining three regions—Central, Southern and Western—will produce at least two candidates (male and female) for the six portfolios of commissioners.
Only names of candidates submitted by the region will be considered in the pre-selection process undertaken by the panel of eminent Africans.
The panel composed of five personalities, one per region, was appointed in February, to oversee the pre-selection of candidatures for the eight positions.
“The panel, assisted by an independent African firm, will first conduct an initial review of applications and CVs. Then shortlisted candidates will be invited for further assessment based on the skills and competency criteria established for the leadership posts,” AUC said in a statement on Wednesday.
“This process will generate a ranked pool of pre-qualified candidates nominated by the relevant AU regions from which the commissioners shall be elected and appointed.”
