Veteran Kenyan politician Raila Odinga has promised to end wars, unify African countries, and open doors for development if he takes over the reins as African Union Commission (AUC) chairman.
He landed in Windhoek yesterday, and met President Nangolo Mbumba as part of Southern African leaders to drum up support for his AUC bid.
Speaking after the meeting at State House with Mbumba, Odinga articulated his vision for Africa.
Among other things, uniting African countries and eliminating barriers to the continent’s development stand head and shoulders above the rest on his to-do list.
He emphasised free trade, and the silencing of guns to allow development in countries torn apart by war, as well as advocating for the use of Artificial Intelligence for development and youth empowerment.
“My vision is to unite Africa. Africans must be united, with resilience and hope for a bright future transmitted to our youth,” Odinga stated.
He also promised to work with Heads of State from across the continent to develop policies which would directly impact the lives of citizens, particularly at the grassroots level.
His promise to make the AU more people-centred is ambitious, and he wants to create a dialogue among African member states.
The election is scheduled for next month in Addis Ababa, where the 55 African countries will elect their new chairperson.
The sought-after post is currently occupied by Moussa Faki Mahamat of Chad.
Odinga will be contesting against Mahamoud Ali Youssouf of Djibouti, Richard Randriamandrato of Madagascar and Anil Gayan of Mauritius.
So far, 19 African countries have vowed to rally behind him, he said.
In October, Namibia had elected not to endorse anyone for the position.
At the time, Namibia’s stance was elaborated by the country’s foremost diplomat, international relations minister Peya Mushelenga.
“It is our tradition that Namibia does not pronounce itself on any candidature. You have never heard about it in the past 34 years. Your question is premature… We believe in a rotational system to allow countries from different regions that have not yet served in such roles to contest,” he had stated.
Yesterday was no different, as no endorsement came from Namibia. Instead, Mbumba emphasised the two countries’ rich shared history and socio-cultural, political and economic ties.
However, Odinga expressed optimism about Namibia’s backing.
