Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga makes his remarks during the launch of his bid for the African Union Commission Chairmanship candidate at State House, Nairobi on August 27, 2024.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group
It was an opening shot like Africa hadn’t seen before. On Tuesday Kenya launched the candidature of its former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC).
No previous election bid for the AU Commission had ever been launched with the pomp witnessed at Raila’s. In attendance at the State House Nairobi event were several East African Community (EAC) heads of State: EAC Chairman and South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit, Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Uganda President Yoweri Museveni, Burundi Prime Minister Gervais Ndirakobuca, Rwanda State Minister for Foreign Affairs James Kabarebe, former Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete and former Nigeria President Olusegun Obasanjo, and other important men and women.
