President Suluhu has accepted to support my AU bid – Raila

By Moses Muli

Published:Feb.,29,2024 2:27 PM(EAT)

Azimio leader Raila Odinga on Thursday revealed that Tanzanian President Suluhu Hassan has accepted to support his African Union job bid.

There have been speculations that Tanzania could front former president Jakaya Kikwete to face Raila in the elections for the AU Commission chairperson elections.

Speaking in Marani in Kisii, Raila said Suluhu had accepted to back his bid for the top continental job and that he is ready to lock the East African Community bloc.

The opposition leader said that next week he will be travelling to Kigali to seek the support of Rwandan President Paul Kagame in his bid to consolidate the EAC.

“Next week, I will be meeting Kagame to ask for his vote. Mam Suluhu has already said she is ready to vote for me,” Raila said.

However, Suluhu has yet to publicly speak about support for Raila.

Raila also noted that he has already received overwhelming support from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Salva Kiir(South Sudan) and DRC’s Felix Tshisekedi.

“I want to sweep the East African Community votes,” Raila added.

At the same time, Raila told Kenyans that Ugandan leader Yoweri Museveni and President William Ruto have all agreed to vote for him as the AU Commission chairperson.

Raila said he is ready to accept defeat if he loses his AUC bid.

“I’ll meet whoever comes out to battle for the seat, if they defeat me it is okay,” Raila said.

On Monday, Raila and Ruto met President Museveni in Uganda as part of the ongoing campaigns to lobby for support for the opposition leader.

President Ruto’s administration is assembling a campaign machine that will spearhead Raila’s AU bid.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi on Tuesday held talks with former Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed at his office in Nairobi.

Amina had until the meeting kept a low profile since leaving office in former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government where she last headed the Sports docket.

The meeting came at a time when Mudavadi has been bestowed the mandate to lead Raila’s campaign team for the AU job.

Kenya fronted Amina for the slot back in 2017 but she lost to Chad’s Moussa Faki Mahamat of Chad who has held the seat to date following his re-election in 2021 for a second term.