President William Ruto has maintained that former Prime Minister and Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga will be the next African Union Commission Chairperson come Feb 2025.

Raila is facing two other candidates; Djibouti’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf and former Madagascar’s Foreign Affairs Minister Richard Randriamandrato.

Former Mauritius Foreign Affairs Minister Anil Kumarsingh Gayan withdrew early in the month.

The winner in the election during the 38^th AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in February 2025 will become the fifth Commission Chair succeeding the incumbent Chairperson Moussa Faki.

The election will be conducted through a secret ballot and the winner must get at least two-thirds of the votes from the 55 AU member states.

Past chairpersons have hailed from western, central and southern regions of the African Union.

READ: Raila Odinga’s bold vision to transform Africa as AUC chair

The AU Executive Council earlier in the year asserted the right of the East African region to produce the next chairperson leaving the north region to vie for the deputy chairperson post.

The AU in a statement said the elections of the Members of the AUC is the process through which Member States of the AU vote to elect the senior leadership of the Commission.

“In the upcoming 2025 election cycle, elections will be held for positions of Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and six Commissioners, with the Commissioners elected to lead specific thematic portfolios such as Peace and Security,” the AU explained.

While speaking at Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay County where he attended Genowa Governor’s Cup, a tournament organised by Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, Ruto said Raila has played a critical role in uniting Kenya and thus best fit for the AUC job.

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“2025 is the year when my brother Raila Odinga becomes the African Union Commission chairperson. Just as he has played a critical role in uniting Kenya and its people, he will play a major role in spearheading the unity of the African Continent,” said Ruto.

The head of state said a win for Raila is a win for Kenya, its businesses and its economy.

“The resolve for me to work and partner with my brother Raila Odinga and former President Uhuru Kenyatta is a clear indication that we want to live in a cohesive environment. We have agreed that we shall not allow ourselves to be drawn back to divisive and tribal politics, we look forward to conducting issue-based politics,” said Ruto.

Ruto said his administration will continue with lobbying so that Raila wins the position.

Raila, who has previously served as the commission’s Special Envoy for Infrastructure is banking on uniting Africa through physical and technological infrastructure to spur development.

The former Prime Minister describes himself as a Pan-Africanist and an Afro-optimist, who believes that Africa has enough tools to lift itself from its financial pit. He reflected on the visions of the continent’s founding fathers, who dreamed of Africa’s prosperity.

Raila urges internal cohesion through effective structures for Africa’s regional blocs, highlighting Europe’s successes in overcoming its history of internal conflict to establish the European Union.

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His blueprint includes enhancing peace and security to create a conducive environment for economic growth.

“There can be no development if there is no peace. In 2013, the African Union came up with ‘Silencing the Guns’ as part of Vision 2063. The focus for the next 50 years is peace. They were ambitious and wanted the guns silenced by 2020… they are not silent, and this is a big challenge for this organisation’s leadership,” he said during Mjadala Afrika debate.

He also outlined a vision for the youth, whom he said he would place at the centre stage as the driving force behind innovation and change.

His vision includes leveraging technological advancements in Artificial Intelligence.

Ruto’s sentiments were echoed by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah who said Raila is a great and visionary leader who deserves a chance at AUC.