Kenya on Monday, July 29 formally submitted the candidature of Raila Odinga for the position of African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson.

The submission was made by a delegation that was led by Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir SingOei, with the elections to be held during the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU in Addis Ababa, in February 2025.

PS SingOei was accompanied by Amb. George Orina, Kenya’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union, and key members of the Secretariat, including; Professor Makau Mutua and Amb. Elkanah Odembo.

Pursuant to the Rules, the submission was made through the Dean of the Eastern Region, H.E. Raj Busgeeeth, Ambassador of Mauritius, and to the Office of the Legal Counsel of the African Union.

Based on the principle of inter-regional rotation, it is the turn of the Eastern Africa region to submit candidates for the role of Chairperson.

Since the founding of the OAU in 1963 and its mutation to AU, no Kenyan has ever served as the Secretary- General or Chairperson of the Organization.

“Kenya’s candidature comes at a critical moment in history. Despite the milestones achieved so far in the continent, Africa continues to experience economic distress, environmental challenges, conflicts, terrorism, and general social discord, exacerbated by geopolitical competition,” a statement from Kenya’s State Department of Foreign Affairs reads in part. “Perhaps at no time in the history of the African Union has the continent needed a more visionary leader, an accomplished statesman and a quintessential Pan-Africanist.”

Raila Odinga’s credentials

Decision to offer Raila for the AUC chairperson position, the PS says, was informed by the former Prime Minister’s Pan-Africanist credentials, his vast networks across Africa and his proven competence to lead AUC Africa’s premier continental organization.

He has served as Prime Minister and in various Ministerial portfolios and importantly as the High Representative of the AUC Chairperson on Infrastructure.

He has observed several elections in Africa and has served as a peace mediator in several countries.

“Mr. Odinga is an exceptional African. He embodies high ethical standards and unparalleled integrity and well-honed diplomatic skills. He is an ardent champion of African unity, intra-African trade and integration, and infrastructural connectivity. These qualities were in full display when he served as High Representative of the AUC Chairperson on Infrastructure.”