KENYA : Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka now says Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga should retire from politics if he loses the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson bid.
Speaking on Monday, February 3 during an interview, Kalonzo said he does not see a scenario where the former Prime Minister would lose the AUC chairperson bid and come back to lead the Azimio coalition.
“I don’t see how Raila Odinga will lose the AUC chairmanship and come back and say he wants to lead Azimio. I will be amazed, that is not the Raila Odinga I know because he must also have a reality check. For now, the option is he goes if he wins, beautiful for him, for the country, and for the continent. If he loses I think he should simply retire,” said Kalonzo.
Kalonzo, went ahead to say that he has no issues with Raila and he is wishing him all the best in his bid to become the AUC chairman.
“My relationship with Raila has been such that I tell him what no one else can tell him, and he does the same for me. Right now, I told him his legacy is in jeopardy and he must do something to reclaim it. If it's this AUC bid, If I were him, I would say, 'forget it, my country is more important,' because he has built such a legacy that you just can't throw it out,” Kalonzo added.
In a different Interview on Sunday, January 2, 2025, Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale expressed confidence that the Kenyan candidate for the African Union Commission Chairperson seat will emerge victorious.
According to Duale, Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s extensive diplomatic outreach and endorsements from various heads of state have bolstered his regional appeal, earning him the support of a majority.
He asserts that the former Prime Minister is assured of the 32 votes needed to clinch the position.
“Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga is going to win the African Union commission Chairperson seat. Raila has done enough campaigns, having visited 40 African capitals. We have 49 people voting, and we know how many are going to vote for him by now. There is no issue of the anglophones or francophones,” he stated.
The continent of Africa is at the crossroads, as its future hangs in the balance as the change of the guard looms at the African Union Commission Headquarters.
At stake is its leadership to spearhead the continent over the next four to eight years when its current Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat’s term expires in mid-February 2025.
The race to succeed Mahamat is a heated contest between Kenya’s former Prime Minister Raila Odinga who is sponsored by Kenya’s President William Samoei Ruto, Djibouti’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, Mauritius’ former Foreign Affairs Minister Anil Gayan, and Madagascar’s former Foreign Affairs Minister Richard James.
On the outset it appears that Kenya’s Odinga has an upper hand because of unprecedented sponsorship by President Ruto who has spared no expense to install Odinga as head of the African Union; pouring billions of Kenyan taxpayer shillings into Odinga’s campaign to succeed Chairman Mahamat, including expensive “charm offensive” trips to China and multiple other global capitals to lobby for Odinga’s election.
