Govt will spare no resource in Raila’s AU campaign: Wetangula

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 2 — National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula has said the government is supporting Raila Odinga’s bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship because he is capable and not to remove him from the local political scene.

Speaking on Friday when opened St. Augustine Senior Seminary, Mabanga Konza Digital Skills Laboratory, Wetangula said the government will fully support Raila’s candidacy because he represents Kenya’s interests in the African continent.

He said Raila will be contesting for the position as Kenya’s candidate and not to fulfill his political ambitions.

“That work is for Kenya. You can only be sponsored your government to go to that job and those who can elect you are governments of Africa including Republic of Kenya,” he said.

Wetangula said Kenya will not spare any efforts in campaigning for Odinga.

“All campaigns we will do for him; we will put on our jogging shoes to make sure we rotate around Africa to make sure we campaign for Raila Odinga to be the next chairman of the Africa Union.”

Quit local politics

Wetangula’s remarks marked a softening of his initial stance on February 25, 2024, when he stated that it was time for Odinga to leave local politics after five failed attempts to capture the presidency.

“What he has done on the local scene is enough, even Shakespeare said the world is a stage, you come to play your part, you leave, and others enter the scene. Let him go to Addis Ababa,” Wetangula said.

Odinga announced his interest in the influential AUC post on February 15.

The government has said it fully backs Odinga’s bid which, if successful, could lock the opposition leader out of the 2027 State House race.

President Ruto is fronting Odinga for the coveted post to replace Moussa Faki whose term is coming to an end.

On Monday, February 25, Ruto took Odinga to Uganda to lobby President Yoweri Museveni for Uganda’s support signaling the onset of Kenya’s campaign for polls set for 2025.

Following Ruto’s meeting with Museveni at his Kisozi country home to discuss Kenya’s candidature, Odinga said he had secured the backing of the Ugandan leader.