Silverio Omari
On Friday, Raila Odinga hosted Kojo Brew Acquaisie, the Civilian Chief of Staff for the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM). Raila described the meeting as productive through his X handle.
He also spoke with Ambassador Valerie Rugene, Kenya’s Deputy Head of Mission in Berlin. Their discussion centered on potential collaborations and strategies to improve regional stability and development.
Raila expressed enthusiasm about the opportunities for positive change on the African continent and greater cooperation, as he shared on X.
AMISOM, a peacekeeping mission run by the AU in Somalia with UN approval, plays a crucial role in the region. This meeting is particularly timely as Raila prepares his bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson position.
On Monday, Kenya formally submitted Raila’s candidacy for the seat. Foreign Affairs PS Korir Singo’ei confirmed that the government has provided the necessary documentation to the Dean of the Eastern Region.
This development clarifies the government’s support for Raila’s bid, following weeks of speculation fueled by anti-government protests.
The AUC has set August 6 as the deadline for the submission of candidacies for the position of Chairperson, succeeding Moussa Faki. To ensure a merit-based selection, the AU has established a panel of eminent persons to vet candidates and create a shortlist.
This panel, consisting of five distinguished individuals, one from each region, was appointed in February 2024. The election will be conducted by secret ballot at a later date.
