Ruto fine-tunes machinery to lead Raila's campaign for AU top job

President William Ruto’s administration is putting final touches on a secretariat to drive Raila Odinga’s campaign for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship. 

Raila and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who met in Nairobi on Wednesday to review the progress made, expressed confidence in clinching the seat during the election to be conducted at the AU headquarters in Ethiopia in February next year.

The leaders said they are not taking anything to chance.

“The campaigns are led by the State with highly experienced and knowledgeable officers with the State Department for Foreign Affairs having established a campaign secretariat which includes the candidate’s strategy team,” said Mudavadi.

He said the secretariat would prepare all the briefs for use by Raila and develop campaign materials. The secretariat will also prepare for a public debate to be broadcast live six months before the election date.

Reports indicate that the secretariat’s composition would be completed in the next two weeks after which a budget will be drawn.

The team will comprise individuals appointed by Raila and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Mudavadi said the campaign team is currently “firming up preparatory and application documents” together with requisite translations of Raila’s resume into six AU languages (French, English, Kiswahili, Arabic, Portuguese and Spanish) ready for submission to the Secretariat by the end of the month.

Outreach programmes

He said a campaign strategy, identifying opportunities, challenges and risks that Raila faces has been developed.

“Additionally, the campaign involves outreach programmes to capitals of AU member states, briefing of Kenya missions abroad, and engagements with diplomatic corps in Nairobi,” he said.

Speaking after the meeting, Raila said although he needed the endorsement of the government for the AU top job, he did not ask for Kenya Kwanza’s views on whether to vie.

The Azimio leader claimed that he was surprised when President Ruto’s government decided to support him.

There were mixed reactions when Raila, who had led street protests against the government over the rising cost of living and the 2022 presidential election results, announced in February that he would contest for the post. 

Some of his supporters were left wondering whether he would continue criticising Ruto, who is spearheading his campaign across Africa.

Yesterday, the Opposition chief said: “We therefore agreed on the need to cut bureaucracy and unveil a well oiled and flexible joint effort going forward. Like all the campaigns plans emerge and change demands arise and change suddenly and we need to respond to them as suddenly as they emerge.”

Raila said his experience as the AU High Commissioner for Infrastructural Development prepared him adequately for the new challenge. 

The Azimio leader emphasised the need to expand communication and development across the continent, saying that he looked forward to a time “where you will not be required to have a visa to travel across the continent.”

“I have been very encouraged by the number of senior government officials offering to be part of this journey out of an understanding that we are in this as Kenya and not as partisan political parties. I appreciate the offer of support. I shared with the government team the situation and my level of preparation from outside government,” he said.

While selling Raila’s candidature, Mudavadi said Raila’s experience and leadership philosophy align with the commission’s values of efficiency, professionalism and respect for diversity and that they have no doubt that he would pursue excellence in line with the continent’s aspirations of “the Africa We Want in 2063” as framed in the AU’s development framework of agenda 2063.  

“Raila Odinga is a Pan Africanist who espouses the think-Africa-above-all guiding principal of the Africa Union Commission. He holds dear the African Union ambition of being a people-centred organisation. In him we have a visionary leader to fire up the African Union to greater levels.”

Emerging world order

Mudavadi explained that despite the world becoming more fragmented and competitive, Kenya believes that multipolarity presents economic and geopolitical opportunities for Africa, therefore, “a-whole-of-AU” strategic approach to the emerging world order would enable member states to project a common voice on global matters of consequence and enhance Africa’s bargaining power for mutual benefit.

He said for the continent to speak and act as one, the AUC will have to be more proactive and strategic in overcoming the persistent challenges that beset the Union, namely funding shortages, logistical inadequacies and the cyclic nature of conflicts.

Mudavadi regretted that the AU continues to grapple with cases of political instability, economic intricacies, weak international influence and undue external influence driven by a new Cold War in the continent.

The Prime Cabinet Secretary said Africa needs to focus on dimensions that promote unity and enhance sustainable development for citizens, including infrastructural connectivity, reduction in the cost of doing business, accelerating visa free programme, promoting a common language, environmental protection, climate change mitigation and financing and renewable energy transition.

Non-alignment strategy

“The continent should work in one voice to campaign for reforms of the international organisations and global financial institutions. The AU should be represented on the strategic international institutions, including membership to core decision making organs of the UN. We shall promote functional non-alignment that strategically seeks to establish mutually beneficial relationships globally,” he said.

He said Kenya envisions an AU that drives the continent beyond silencing the guns to achieving sustainable peace and security for collective prosperity.

Mudavadi noted that Kenya has a long experience of supporting the AU and regional bodies as well as bilateral engagements to foster peace and security regionally and globally.