Raila Odinga, the veteran opposition leader of Kenya, has officially declared his ambition to vie for the chairmanship of the African Union Commission (AUC). At 78 years old, Odinga, who previously served as the High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa, asserts his competence to lead the continental body headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Hailing from a political lineage as the son of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Kenya’s first vice president, Raila Odinga currently leads the opposition coalition Azimio la Umoja in his home country. Formerly the prime minister of Kenya from 2008 to 2013, Odinga expressed his readiness for the AU leadership at a news conference in Nairobi on February 15.

Accompanied by Nigeria’s former president and AU envoy Olusegun Obasanjo, Odinga criticized the “brain drain” of African talent to other continents and emphasized the need for Africa’s economic development. He announced, “I am ready and offer myself to be of service to this continent should the leadership of Africa want my services.”

Odinga’s background as the AU’s high representative for infrastructure development from 2018 to 2023, coupled with his mechanical engineering expertise, positions him to understand the continent’s diverse needs. Despite facing five defeats in Kenya’s presidential elections, Odinga remains undeterred in his pursuit of contributing to Africa’s advancement.

The upcoming election in 2025 will decide the new chairperson of the AU Commission, replacing the current head, Amb Moussa Faki Mahamat from Chad, who was re-elected in February 2021. The chairperson is elected by the general assembly for a four-year term, which is eligible for renewal once.

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