With only two days to the election of the next chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi is upbeat Kenya’s former Prime Minister Raila Odinga will clinch the post.

Mudavadi, who is also the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs and chief campaigner of the Kenyan candidate, says his government under the stewardship of President William Ruto has done sufficient groundwork to comfortably secure the seat for the 80-year-old Pan-Africanist and leader of the Opposition in Kenya.

He said barring a miracle, Kenya’s quest in its campaign for Raila to become the next head of the African Union secretariat in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is poised to bear fruit on Saturday when the 49 member countries cast their votes to replace the outgoing chair Moussa Mahamat Faki of Chad.

Africa is composed of 55 countries. However, six of them will not take part in the election because they have been suspended from the continental ensemble owing to military coups staged in their nations.

As of yesterday, Raila was reported to have garnered the support of 28 countries, needing only four more for him to attain the three-quarter threshold of 32 votes to enable him triumph in the first round of voting.

With 49 AU states voting for the commission’s chair and deputy chair, Raila needs 33 to win the first round. If any of the three candidates secures 33 votes in the first round, they will be declared the winner. If none does, voting will enter the second round. During this stage, the winner should secure two-thirds of the vote.

“Provided that, if the third ballot remains inconclusive, the next ballot shall be restricted to the two (2) candidates who obtained the highest number of votes in the third ballot,” the AUC’s election guidelines state.
Election mode

In the fourth round, if both candidates fail to secure two-thirds of the vote, the candidate with fewer votes shall withdraw.

“If the remaining candidate, fails to obtain the two-thirds majority required in that round, the chairperson shall suspend the election,” the election guidelines read.

“The Deputy chairperson of the Commission shall take over the Chairmanship of the Commission on an interim basis until new elections are held. If the impasse is in respect of the Deputy Chairperson, the most senior Commissioner by length of tenure, or by age where length of tenure is the same, shall be designated to act as the Deputy Chairperson until new elections are held.”

Mobilisation and acquisition of the imperative four votes remain now Mudavadi’s biggest hurdle to overcome ahead of the Saturday polling, a feat he hopes to have achieved by then.

In a telephone conversation yesterday morning, Mudavadi told People Daily Kenya assembled an able and top-cream competent team of strategists and seasoned diplomats who had explored all possible avenues to deliver the coveted position to the former Lang’ata MP.

He said there should be no cause for alarm regarding Nairobi’s endeavour to woo sufficient winning votes from a majority of African countries to throw their weight behind Raila’s candidacy as he is the person best suited for that assignment and dismissed any suggestions to the contrary.

“Our campaign for the former Prime Minister has moved on well. We are not putting anything to chance. We have put our best foot forward. We assembled the right people to campaign for him. We are focussed on the quality of our candidate in our mission to convince as many countries on the continent as possible to back our him.

“To that extend, we have succeeded. We are confident that when the elections finally come at the weekend, our candidate will emerge victorious. We are not underrating any of Raila’s competitors but we are sure that we have presented the best candidate and have attracted requisite support for him to clinch the seat,” the former Vice-President.

Bloc’s support
He reiterated that the African Union had allowed the East African Community bloc countries to present the next AUC chairperson and majority of the countries in the region had indicated that they will support Raila with Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni having indicated that he would be the one to propose Raila Odinga’s name.

“We are sure of our strong candidate. He is the best bet. The government and he himself have conducted proper campaign to market the candidate. I am quite certain we shall have an overwhelming majority around the continent. That seat is Raila’s for the taking, the former Deputy Prime Minister said.

Kenya appointed a 10-person team headed by Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs Korir Sing’oei and former ambassador to the US Elkana Odemba which has been moving around the continent and laying strategies for Raila’s campaign.

Special prayers were held for Raila in Kisumu and Nairobi on Sunday and Monday respectively. He is running against Mohammed Ali Youssouf of Djibouti and Richard Randriamandano of Maudagascar.

Mudavadi who led a Kenyan advance team left for Addis Ababa on Tuesday to attend prepare for the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government and 46th Ordinary Session of the African Union Council and Executive. .

Mudavadi told People Daily that Kenya is confident of Raila’s victory at the polls where only Presidents and Heads of State participate.

“We are very sure of this one. We have done our best. Victory is within our sights. We have a very credible and solid candidate. He has the strongest credentials. In him, we have a Pan-African and forthright democrat and Statesman,” he said.

Mudavadi is expected to attend the 46th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council, which comprises Ministers of Foreign Affairs. The ministers will meet today and tomorrow and will elect eight AUC commissioners.
Ruto will attend the AU’s 38th Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government on Saturday and Sunday, and elect the chairperson and his deputy.