Raila Odinga, the Azimio leader, is gaining traction in his bid to become Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) after President William Ruto secured the backing of Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
President Faye, who was elected on March 24 and is the youngest head of state in Africa at 44, has prioritized fighting poverty, inequality, and corruption, advocating for “systemic changes” in his country.
According to a statement from the presidency, the meeting between Ruto and Faye took place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Raila faces competition from candidates representing Madagascar, Djibouti, and Mauritius, all vying to replace outgoing AUC Chair Moussa Faki. The AUC has invited applications for Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, and six Commissioner positions ahead of elections scheduled for February 2025.
Following the withdrawal of former Somali Foreign Minister Fawzia Yusuf Adam’s bid, the race for the AUC chairmanship shifted in Raila’s favor.
President Ruto, who arrived in New York on September 21 for the 79th UNGA session, has been rallying support for Raila’s candidacy. Earlier this month, Ruto met with six African presidents during his visit to Beijing, China, to discuss the same. These leaders included Togo’s Faure Gnassingbé, Mali’s Assimi Goita, Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, Guinea-Bissau’s Umaro Embaló, Chad’s Mohammed Idriss Déby, and Zambia’s Hakainde Hichilema.
Odinga’s campaign has also received backing from youth leaders representing 13 African nations. The Pan-African Youth Convention and various African youth stakeholders voiced their support, calling his vision for the continent “legitimate.”
In their statement, they praised Raila as a “strong, passionate, and straightforward leader” who is unafraid to confront the pressing challenges Africa faces. They noted his “burning desire to bring about progressive change” and his clear understanding of the African Union’s role.
“This is someone eager to make a difference,” the statement concluded.