Kenya's opposition leader and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has taken campaign for African Union Commission chairmanship to Uganda.
On Monday, Odinga was hosted by President Yoweri Museveni at the Ugandan leader's Kisozi home in the central region of the country.
Kenyan President William Ruto was also present at Museveni's home.
"Several days ago, I accepted an invitation from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda for a joint meeting with President William Samoei Ruto today (Monday) to discuss the deepening of regional integration within the East African Community," Odinga said on Facebook.
Mutual interest
"We also discussed my candidacy for Chairperson of the African Union Commission. I am very grateful to President Museveni for strongly endorsing my candidacy and to President Ruto for fully backing it," Odinga added.
Ruto confirmed on Facebook that they discussed with Museveni Odinga's AU Commission chairmanship bid, among other topics.
Museveni, for his part, said on X social network that they discussed issues of mutual interest between Uganda and Kenya.
So far, it is Kenya's Odinga who has come out to express interest in succeeding Chad's Moussa Faki Mahamat as the AU Commission chairperson.
Two-thirds majority
Sixty-three-year-old Faki, who has been AU Commission chief since March 2017, has exhausted his maximum two-term limit, and is therefore ineligible for re-election.
Odinga has already bagged the support of former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The chairperson of the AU Commission is elected by the assembly for a four-year term, renewable once. Election is by secret ballot, and a two-thirds majority of member states.
There are 55 AU member states. That would mean that at least 37 member states must vote for Odinga for his bid to be successful. He must also be nominated by a member state.
Chief accounting officer
The next AU summit will be held in early 2025.
The chairperson is AU Commission's chief accounting officer.
The qualifications needed for the AU Commission chairperson include at least 20 years of international experience, with 10 being in senior leadership. Also needed, is at least a master's degree.
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