NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 16 – The Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition has expressed support for leader Raila Odinga’s bid for the to African Union (AU) Commission top job.
Speaking during a press conference Friday, co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka called for a bi-partisan support for Odinga’s bid saying it will be a big win for Kenya and Africa as a whole.
“As Azimio Coalition, we welcome and congratulate our Party Leader for the bold step of putting his name forward for consideration of this most important role to the African continent and its people. We fully support his decision and we shall back his candidature to the best of our capacity,” he stated.
He further stated that Odinga has played a crucial and selfless role in “the democratisation of the Nation and that his sacrifices towards achieving socio economic development, inclusivity, and stability of our Republic are well documented.”
He stated that Odinga has has always put Kenya first and that these are the qualities needed for the next Chairperson of the AU Commission.
Earlier, Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has expressed support for opposition leader Raila Odinga’s bid for the top African Union Commission job.
Atwoli described Odinga as best fitted for the job and urged the government to lobby for him.
“His friends are some of the current sitting presidents and if any one of them vied against him, they will not be able to defeat him,” he stated.
“He would be unanimously elected in that particular position. I want to assure Raila Amollo Odinga of the support from the Organisation of African Trade Union’s support for his bid.”
Odinga on Thursday signaled his interest in the influential position of African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson.
He has already started lobbying other African leaders to support his candidature as he prepares to formally submit his application for the role currently held by Moussa Faki Mahamat.
“I am prepared to take on this challenge and offer myself for service. I have requested my friend, former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, to continue advocating for my candidacy and engage with other leaders,” Odinga stated after a meeting with the former president in Nairobi.
Previously, Odinga served as the AU High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa from 2018 to February 2023, a tenure that ended amidst controversy.
