Kenya ex-PM Raila Odinga's AU ambitions halt his local moves

Kenya's former prime minister Raila Odinga's over three-decade long political stint in Kenya could come to a halt, for now, as he turns his focus to his African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship quest - a move certain to unsettle majority of his close allies who have over the years hang on his coat-tails to secure their elective position.

Mr Odinga who has made five unsuccessful bids for presidency announced this week that he was moving from national to continental politics.

But the former premier is yet to relinquish his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leadership or Azimio la Umoja One Kenya party coalition position, on whose ticket he unsuccessfully contested the August 9, 2022 Kenya's presidential election.

He has, however, said that he will not be very active in Kenyan politics as he focuses his attention on the continental campaign.

This move could however, rattle majority of his close allies who have over the years hang on his coat-tails to secure their elective position.

Mr Odinga spoke while formally launching his campaigns after formal submission of his candidacy.

"At the moment I'm involved in the campaign but that does not mean Kenya ceases to exist," Mr Odinga said.

President William Ruto is expected to formally unveil the former premier as the country’s candidate for the chairmanship of the AUC on Tuesday August 27 in Nairobi, marking the official launch of his campaigns across the continent.

That may be their quid pro quo. Mr Odinga, who wields a sizeable support across the country, helped Dr Ruto to salvage his administration which was on the brink of collapse due to massive anti-government protests orchestrated by majority young protesters of the Gen Z.

President Ruto had to move swiftly to form a ‘broad-based government’ to bring in Mr Odinga's key allies into his Cabinet to stabilise the country and help him salvage his administration.

He spoke at joint-press briefing with Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who said Mr Odinga’s quest for the top regional post is a “national mission.”

Some of Mr Odinga's strategists are former Kenya's ambassador to the United States Elkanah Odembo, former Executive secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) Mahboub Maalim, Ambassador Anthony Okara, Prof Makau Mutua and former Nyeri Deputy Governor Dr Caroline Karugu.

Asked about the budget allocations for the campaigns, Mr Mudavadi said he would not give the figures but confirmed financial obligations for the operations.

In Kenya’s previous failed bid to capture the AUC chairmanship by fronting then Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed’s bid for the post in the year to June 2017, it spent Ksh437.7 million ($xxxxx) in the campaign that was led by then Deputy President William Ruto.

Ms Mohamed lost her bid to be the continent’s top diplomat to her Chad counterpart, Moussa Faki Mahamat, in the vote.

Mr Odinga’s team has said a campaign secretariat has already been established in Kilimani, Nairobi, and president Ruto is expected to unveil the campaign team next week.

“At the moment I’m involved in the campaign but that does not mean Kenya ceases to exist,” Mr Odinga said.