Raila Odinga’s Bid for AU Top Seat in jeopardy over New Rules that Might Lock Him out
Raila Odinga, the ODM leader, is facing new challenges in his bid to become the next chairperson of the African Union Commission.
According to NTV, new rules for electing senior AU members have been proposed, which could prevent Raila from running.
The proposed changes aim to improve and streamline the election process for the heads of the continental body’s secretariat.
According to draft changes circulated to members, any country that has previously served as chairperson or deputy chairperson is ineligible to propose a candidate.
“Any member state that occupied a position from that region should be ineligible for future elections until all member states of the region served as members of the senior leadership of the commission,” the proposal reads.
According to the previous arrangement, the seat rotates; thus, the next chairperson should be from Eastern Africa.
However, under the proposed changes, Kenya and Rwanda will be ineligible to contest because they have previously served as deputy chairpersons since the AU commission was established in 2002.
Between 2008 and 2017, Kenya’s Erastus Mwencha served as deputy chairman of the AU Commission.
Former prime ministers’ fates now rest with the heads of state and governments, who will have the final say on proposed changes.
According to tradition, AU decisions are made by consensus, so a single ‘No’ prevents the decision from becoming formal law.
“It is not yet law. The process of validating and publishing decisions takes long. The final decision will reflect members’ will,” an official said
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Raila Odinga’s Bid for AU Top Seat in jeopardy over New Rules that Might Lock Him out
