Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga will have a platform to articulate his agenda and vision for the African Union Commission (AUC) which he is gunning to be its chairperson in a televised debate.
Raila will face his rivals in a public debate next Friday, December 13, 202,4, at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The much-anticipated debate will commence at 7:00 pm. The forum has been dubbed the Mjadala Afrika Leadership Debate. It will be conducted in French and English, with simultaneous interpretation provided to the candidates and the audience in all six working languages of the African Union (English, French, Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swahili).
The debate will provide candidates with an opportunity to outline their vision of how they would lead the transformation of Africa through the implementation of the AU Mandate and Africa’s Agenda 2063.
It will also allow African citizens and other stakeholders to put forward questions to the candidates on issues they want to be addressed in order to propel the continent’s growth and ensure Africa achieves its goals for integrated and sustainable development and becoming a major player in the global arena.
The first debate was conducted in 2017, following its success, in November 2018, the assembly adopted a decision to enhance the transparency and meritocracy of the selection of the leadership of the AU Commission by asking all contestants to submit their curriculum vitae and later face-off in a televised debate.
Raila’s rivals
Raila who has so far received public endorsement from several heads of state will square it out with Richard Mahitsison Randriamandrato and Mahamoud Ali Youssouf.
Randriamandrato was Madagascar’s foreign minister from March to October 2022. He served also as a minister of economy and finance from 2019 until 2021 where he focused on economic policies aimed at stabilizing and developing Madagascar’s economy.
On the other hand, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf was nominated by Djibouti for the position of chairperson. He is viewed as a fierce rival to Raila in the upcoming AUC race scheduled for February 2025.
Youssouf has been the foreign minister of the tiny but strategic Horn of Africa nation since 2005. His vision includes silencing the guns and bridging the gap to foster continental development.
Raila on his vision, outlined his economic transformation plan. He said the continent had all the tools needed to succeed and advocated for the enhancement of Africa’s infrastructure, investment in energy, internet connectivity, and an open skies policy.
