Kenya will submit the name of its former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for the post of African Union Commission chairperson by June 30, the country's Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi has said.
Speaking in Kenya's capital on Wednesday, Mudavadi said the government was finalising the nomination documents, including translating Odinga's resume into six AU languages (English, French, Kiswahili, Arabic, Portuguese and Spanish).
"Overall, (Odinga's) campaigns are led by the state with highly experienced and knowledgeable officers. The State Department for Foreign Affairs has established a campaign secretariat which includes the candidate's strategy team," Mudavadi told journalists.
"Additionally, the campaign involves outreach programmes to capitals of AU member states, briefing of Kenyan missions abroad, and engagements with diplomatic corps in Nairobi."
'Credentials and passion'
According to the foreign affairs minister, Odinga "has the credentials and the passion to advocate for Africa's interests globally."
For his part, Odinga, who addressed the press alongside Mudavadi on Wednesday, said: "Your candidature is not valid until your country says yes. I was pleasantly surprised when the Kenyan government said they would support me. I expected them to say no, I don't know why they said yes, that's their own decision, not mine."
The 79-year-old unsuccessfully ran against Kenya's President William Ruto in the country's August 2022 presidential election.
Odinga served as the East African nation's prime minister from 2008 to 2013 under the administration of President Mwai Kibaki.
Competition from three others
He is seeking to replace Chad's Moussa Faki Mahamat whose term will come to an end in early 2025.
Elections for the next AUC chairperson are expected to take place in February 2025.
Besides Odinga, the other candidates for AUC chairperson are Djibouti's Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Somalia's former Foreign Minister Fawzia Yusuf Adam, and Seychelles' former Vice President Vincent Meriton.
The winner must get at least two-thirds of AU member states' votes (36).
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