- The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party will be under Kisumu governor Anyang’ Nyong’o unit the elections are held
- Raila Odinga handed over the leadership of the party to focus on his bid to become the next chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC)
- The former prime minister cited Nyong’o’s grasp of the party’s ideologies for him to be picked as the acting party leader
Eli Odaga, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Mombasa—ODM leader Raila Odinga has formally handed over the party’s stewardship to Kisumu governor Anyang Nyong’o ahead of the elections next month.
Raila Odinga chaired an ODM central committee meeting on Saturday, October 12. Photo: ODM Party.
Source: Twitter
The party’s central committee convened in Mombasa under Raila’s leadership on Saturday, October 12, where resolutions were made.
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Raila said the handover was due to his commitment to his bid to become the next chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC).
“In line with a recent decision of the Central Committee, I formally task our founding secretary general, Professor Anyang’ Nyong’o, to step in and provide leadership to our great party to enable me to immerse myself fully into the final and more intricate phase of my campaign for the chairmanship of the African Union Commission (AUC),” said Raila.
He cited Nyong’o’s ability to command and steer the party owing to his experience and grasp of the party’s ideologies, having served as its first secretary general.
The committee also ratified the appointments of Governors Simba Arati (Kisii), Abdulswamad Nassir (Mombasa) and Vihiga senator Godfrey Osotsi to be deputy party leaders.
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This comes months after Raila announced he would take a break from local politics.
Why Raila Odinga took a sabbatical
During a press briefing on Wednesday, August 21, the former prime minister revealed that he would be shifting his focus.
Raila explained that he would be engrossed in his campaigns for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson seat.
The next AUC chairperson is set to come from East Africa following a decision by the AU Executive Council.
Countries from Northern Africa will produce the deputy chairperson, with the remainder regions; Central, Southern and Western Africa producing the six commissioners.
What Raila needs to win AUC chairmanship
The Kenyan candidate will need support either by consensus or at least a two-thirds majority vote by member states represented by their heads.
President William Ruto’s government charged itself with selling Raila’s bid, allocating resources to crisscross the continent to court support from the African heads of state who constitute the General Assembly which will take the vote in February next year.
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While at the AUC, if elected, Raila would observe the code of conduct for the chairmanship, where the office holder ought to take a back seat in their country’s politics and, at the same time, be neutral in the African socio-political standings.
The vote will be taken in February next year; Raila will face off with Djibouti Foreign Affairs Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, former Madagascar Foreign Minister Richard Randriamandrato and Mauritius’s Anil Gayan.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
