Raila Thanks Ruto For Doing All Within His Disposal To Ensure He Clinches AUC Chairperson Seat
The Mt Kenya Times 
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga
By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga
Worth Noting:
- The Francophone-speaking countries and Muslim counterparts ganged up against him and handed victory to one of their own, the Djibouti candidate.
- Some of these countries had earlier agreed to support Raila but changed hearts at the last minute.
- Besides religion and language, the influence of former colonial masters of these nations and varied interests of their respective regional blocs.
- The former colonial masters were playing their cards behind the scene. Given his credentials, they knew Raila was the most qualified and experienced candidate.
- But, to them, this was a wrong person because they wanted a candidate they can control and micro-manage. In the eve of the polls, I had written an opinion articles.
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has thanked President William Ruto for doing all within his disposal to ensure he clinched the coveted position of Africa Union Commission (AUC) chairperson.
“President Ruto did all he could to ensure I have won. I, however, lost because of other factors which were beyond our control. So, no blame game. I returned home with my head held high”.
It is worth noting that in eve of Africa Union Commission (AUC) elections, ODM leader and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga had made some Solomonic words.
He told Kenyans that “If I wins Kenya wins, If I lose Kenya wins”.
Raila fought a good battle during the polls.
He was leading in round one and round two.
But his dream of the leading the continent of Africa started suffering setbacks when the Madagascar candidate dropped out.
This worked in favor of Djibouti candidate who eventually defeated Baba Raila in round seven.
Contrary to perceptions created by Raila’s haters here in Kenya, Raila did not lose because of lack of required qualifications.
I also heard the haters blaming President William Ruto for his loss.
Again, this was not true. The efforts by President Ruto, who was leading his campaigns, had borne a lot of fruits.
Without Dr Ruto’s support, Raila could not have garnered the votes he got.
Here are some two main reasons why Raila lost.
He fell victim to geopolitics of Africa.
The Francophone-speaking countries and Muslim counterparts ganged up against him and handed victory to one of their own, the Djibouti candidate.
Some of these countries had earlier agreed to support Raila but changed hearts at the last minute.
Besides religion and language, the influence of former colonial masters of these nations and varied interests of their respective regional blocs.
The former colonial masters were playing their cards behind the scene.
Given his credentials, they knew Raila was the most qualified and experienced candidate.
But, to them, this was a wrong person because they wanted a candidate they can control and micro-manage.
In the eve of the polls, I had written an opinion articles.
We are now counting hours before this poll is held.
Raila is the leading contender. This is not going down well with his haters, mostly drawn from Mount Kenya region
Only heads of state and government of Africa continent are eligible to vote. The voting will be through secret ballot.
Of 55 nations, 49 will participate. The countries left out are those that have had military coups in the recent past.
I listed two main reasons why Raila was poised to win. His credentials and the fact that President Ruto was leading his campaigns.
Notably, Dr Ruto have met all Africa leaders to seek their respective vote for him.
The latest was the President of Guinea Bissau.
After the bilateral talks with his host, President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, who had been accorded a heroic welcome including a 21-Gun salute, disclosed that he supports the candidature of Raila Odinga for Africa Union Commission (AUC) chairperson.
Besides Raila’s candidature, the talks centered on matters of peace and security in Africa and finalization of priority reforms of continental body.
President Ruto reiterated the commitment of Kenya to ending conflicts in the region.
Two days later, Dr Ruto hosted five African heads of state and senior officials of Africa Union (AU) including the outgoing AU chairman Faki Mahamat Moussa to discuss and accelerate priority reforms.
When he attended the swearing-in of newly elected President of Ghana Dramani Mahama, President Ruto took this opportunity to showcase Raila’s credentials and convince a number of African leaders he met in Acra, Ghana’s capital city, that Raila is the most suitable candidate.
President of Togo and Equatorial Guinea counterpart Nguema were among them.
Dr Ruto had earlier in the eve of last year’s Christmas Day hosted Ghananian leader at his expansive home in Kilgoris, Narok county, during which Mahama officially invited him to attend his swearing-in ceremony.
Besides Raila’s candidature, Ruto’ talks with Togo leader Faure Gnassingbe centered on African Union reforms and integration.
Two days earlier Odinga had held talks with former Prime Minister of Mauritius who reaffirmed his support for him.
I have spoken with the President about this and I want to assure you Mauritius vote will go to your bag, he assured him.
Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni had a week earlier reiterated that he will vote for Raila.
He spoke during the celebrations of grand finale of Piny Luo Cultural Festival in Siaya county.
During this event, President Ruto while being flanked by Museveni once again reiterated that Raila is poised to clinch Africa Union (AU) Commission chairperson. The two Presidents were hosted by Raila Odinga.
In the eve of Christmas, Dr Ruto had also hosted the outgoing chairperson of Africa Union Commission (AUC) Faki Moussa Mahamat at the same venue, Kilgoris
Sources indicated the duo’s meeting also focussed on upcoming elections of AUC chairman.
Undoubtedly, President Ruto’s style of leadership was being admired by many leaders in the continent of Africa.
This is because while comparing him with other Presidents in Africa he was far much ahead in terms of tackling and resolving myriad of challenges facing his people, the Kenyan population.
Secondly, he had curved a niche of being a true Pan-Africanist.
In AU forums and international stage, he had been demonstrating a high level of boldness, consistency and focus in championing the African course.
This had informed the decision of eight heads of state of East Africa community (EAC) who had earlier appointed Dr Ruto as the chairperson of EAC.
This happened at a time when former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Kenya’s candidate for Africa Union (AU) seat, was concluding his door-to-door campaign in West Africa.
Before this campaign tour, Kenyans opposed to his candidature had already come to a conclusion that Raila cannot penetrate this regional bloc. Reason? Having been colonized by France, these nations had been clustered as Francophone. It means these people were speaking different language to that of Raila.
Kenya was a colony of Britain and so Raila belonged to Anglophone, English speaking nations.
But these language barriers would not stop Raila from breaking the ceiling.
After sharing his vision and agenda for Africa with Presidents of this bloc, he managed to convince majority of them to support his candidature. This left Raila’s opponents with an egg on their face.
Former Prime Minister had earlier made similar forays to some other regions of Africa and received similar backing.
The EAC heads of state had earlier honored President Ruto’s invitation to attend the official inauguration of Raila as Kenya’s candidate and official launch of his campaign.
During this meeting at State House Nairobi, the President Ruto successfully lobbied each to support Raila’s candidature.
Initially, five countries were eyeing the AU top job. The two candidates fronted by Mauritius and Seychelles later stepped aside and each and their country’s thrown its full weight behind Raila Odinga.
Besides Ruto’s backing, Raila’s candidature is enjoying the support of many countries in Africa continent because of his credentials.
Putting aside his academic qualifications, his grasp of the needs and aspirations of the black African people is immeasurable.
Sometimes back, an opinion poll conducted by AU Think- Tank showed that Raila was ahead of his perceived close rival, Djibouti candidate.
It is worth to recall Raila curved a niche of being a leading light in African when he served as African High Representative for Infrastructure Development.
Apart from initiating mega projects, he espoused the ideals of being a true pan-Africanist. He has since been championing the course of a United State of Africa under the the banner of One Africa One People.
While articulating the virtues of democracy, good governance and development in Africa, Raila has been mincing no word in reiterating that Africa is the richest continent because of its vast resources.
Africa, however, lags behind because of lack of unity.
If I win, I will strive to ensure that Africa speaks in one voice.
During China-Africa summit held in Beijing China, Dr Ruto took that opportunity to drum up support for Raila and later during a similar gathering of African leaders in Germany and USA.
Dr Ruto’s talks with these leaders would take place on the sidelines of these summits.
The President always returned back with bagful of goodies.
In his recent trip to Addis Ababa Ethiopia, Dr Ruto managed to rally more leaders to support Kenyan candidate.
Raila, who accompanied him in this trip, took this opportunity to showcase his credentials.
Joseph Mutua Ndonga Is A Writer And Social Commentator
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