Tuesday, February 11, 2025 - Former UNCTAD Secretary-General, Mukhisa Kituyi, has warned that Raila Odinga faces a steep challenge in his bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson position, citing historical voting patterns and regional bloc dynamics that favor his opponents.
Kituyi explained that French-speaking (Francophone) nations
have historically voted as a bloc to support candidates from their linguistic
group.
This trend, he noted, could significantly disadvantage Odinga
if a Francophone contender remains in the race.
"Normally, it is extremely difficult for the bloc to
vote for a non-Francophone candidate if there is a French-speaking
contender," Kituyi said in an interview with NTV.
He pointed to Djibouti’s Mohamoud Youssouf as the likely
favorite among Francophone nations, further complicating Odinga’s chances.
Kituyi also suggested that President William Ruto’s strong
support for Israel during the Gaza conflict could negatively impact Odinga’s
prospects.
Many AU member states are Muslim-majority nations, and
Kenya’s diplomatic position might push them to vote against Odinga.
"That means Ruto is not an asset. The main alternative
to Raila is a Muslim who speaks French," Kituyi remarked.
Additionally, the Anglophone bloc is not united behind
Odinga, as Madagascar’s Richard Randriamandrato has drawn some support, further
weakening his position.
Odinga, Youssouf, and Randriamandrato are all vying to
replace Chad’s Moussa Faki, whose tenure ends in 2025.
The elections will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, between
February 12-16, 2025, with leaders voting in multiple rounds until a candidate
secures a two-thirds majority.
Meanwhile, President Ruto, Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi, and at
least 100 MPs and top government officials are expected to fly to Addis Ababa
in solidarity with Raila Odinga, ahead of the Election scheduled at the AU
Summit on February 15 and 16.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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