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President William Ruto took time off from his official engagements in China to market former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s bid for the African Union Commission chairperson.

In separate meetings, Ruto and Raila had discussions with presidents Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé (Togo) and Assimi Goita (Mali), Paul Kagame (Rwanda), Umaro Sissoco Embalo (Guinea-Bissau), Mahamat Idriss Deby (Chad) and Hakainde Hichilema (Zambia).

It was not lost to observers that of the six heads of state they met, four are from francophone countries, a majority of which are said to be leaning towards the candidacy of Djibouti foreign affairs minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, seen as Raila’s most formidable opponent.

Save for Rwanda’s Kagame and Zambia’s Hichilema, the four other presidents are from francophone West Africa.

Besides Youssouf, Raila will also face off with Richard Randriamandrato (Madagascar) and Anil Kumarsingh Gayan (Mauritius) to succeed Moussa Faki Mahamat of Chad.

Raila is banking on the support of regional heads of state including Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), Samia Suluhu Hassan (Tanzania), Salva Kiir (South Sudan), Kagame an Cyril Ramaphosa (South Africa), among others.

Addressing a high-powered gathering of regional heads of state and two former presidents during the launch of his candidacy in Nairobi last week, Raila stressed the need to go beyond the region and rally support from the entire continent, saying he needed the support of at least 34 heads of state to clinch the job.

“Kindly, buy my vision, the charge is 34 plus votes in the first round. I particularly appeal to fellow East Africans, that we walk this journey together and go to Addis as a team in February 2025,” Raila pleaded.

Those present at last week’s event included Kiir, Museveni, Suluhu, Rwanda’s state minister for foreign affairs James Kabarebe,Burundi’s Prime Minister Gervais Ndirakobuca and former presidents Jakaya Kikwete (Tanzania) and Olusegun Obasanjo (Nigeria).

Strong case

In yesterday’s meetings in Beijing, Ruto put up a strong case for Raila to be elected to the AUC post while also expressing Kenya’s commitment to enhancing bilateral relations with these nations for the mutual benefit of their citizens.

He said Kenya will explore opportunities for increased diplomatic, trade and people-to-people ties with countries on the continent to enhance intra-African interactions and business.

President Ruto pointed out that African leaders are working together to reform the African Union and make it “fit for purpose” in order to serve the continent better.

He pointed out that the AUC is thus a critical institution of the African Union and requires an effective, knowledgeable and experienced leadership.

Kenya, he said, had presented Raila’s candidacy for the AUC position because he is an “accomplished pan-Africanist, a champion of integrated infrastructure and committed to peace and security in the continent”.

Back in Kenya, ODM chairperson Gladys Wanga maintained that Raila is the bona fide leader of the Azimio la Umoja coalition despite his newfound dalliance with President Ruto and his campaigns for the AUC chairmanship.

Speaking in Homa Bay county, of which she is governor, Wanga insisted that the positions of Raila and ODM in the opposition coalition were non-negotiable and that they will continue to build and strengthen the coalition.

“We will continue to build our party, to strengthen our party, and we are in the Azimio la Umoja coalition. Nobody can remove us from the Azimio la Umoja coalition, and our leader is Raila Amolo Odinga,” said Wanga, who was recently named the orange’s party’s chairperson after nominated MP John Mbadi was appointed Treasury Cabinet secretary.