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President William Ruto has expressed strong support for former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s bid for the African Union Chairmanship.
Addressing East African officials at the East African Community (EAC) inter-parliamentary sports games, the President emphasized that Raila’s leadership could significantly enhance East Africa’s global standing.
“Raila Odinga, Kenya’s former Prime Minister, is running for the chairmanship of the African Union Commission (AUC). His extensive experience, dedication to pan-African values, and commitment to regional integration make him an ideal candidate to lead the African Union Commission at this crucial time,” Ruto stated.
“I urge all EAC partner states to support his candidacy. His leadership will provide East Africa with a more powerful voice on the continent, allowing us to promote our shared priorities, safeguard our interests, and accelerate Africa’s development agenda.”
The President also stressed that a united East Africa backing Raila’s candidacy would not only showcase collective determination but also reinforce the region’s commitment to shaping Africa’s future.
Raila is seeking to replace Moussa Faki Mahamat, whose term ends, with the election scheduled for February 25, 2025. His candidacy was officially launched in November in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he presented his vision and strategic priorities aimed at driving Africa’s socio-economic transformation.
The event allowed Raila to engage with key African Union stakeholders, build partnerships, and outline his agenda for the continent’s progress.
On Wednesday, Raila will compete in a high-stakes debate against his main rivals, Anil Gayan from Mauritius, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf from Djibouti, and Richard Randriamandrato from Madagascar. This debate, which will be broadcast live across Africa, marks the first time these candidates have shared a stage since declaring their intentions to succeed Moussa Faki.
The Mjadala Afrika Leadership debate gives candidates the chance to present their vision for leading Africa’s transformation, and African citizens and stakeholders will have the opportunity to ask questions.
The event, set to take place in Addis Ababa, will be televised in all six official AU languages: English, French, Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish, and Kiswahili.
The debate will be moderated in both French and English, according to a statement from the AU.
