Azimio leader Raila Odinga on Tuesday visited his former college in Leipzig, Germany, in what he said “brought back memories of my high school days”.
Raila studied at the Herder Institute between 1963 and 1964 soon after clearing his high school education at Maranda High School in 1962.
“Visiting the Herder Institute, my alma mater in Leipzig. From the familiar corridors to returning to my previous house on Lumumba Street and meeting with today’s students,” he said in a statement on his return to the institute on Tuesday.
“Grateful for the journey and the enduring community at Herder,” he said on social media.
Herder Institute trained foreign students in the German language and was part of the philological faculty at the University of Leipzig in East Germany.
Raila did not specify the objective of his visit to his former college but he has publicly declared interest in the position of African Union Commission chairman.
Among the mandatory requirements for the post is a Master’s Degree in Law, International Relations, Economics, Diplomacy, Management, Business Administration, Political Science, Social Sciences or a closely related field from a recognised institution.The AU secretariat says a PhD in any of the fields is considered an added advantage for interested candidates.
Raila’s biography indicates that he holds an MSc (Master of Science) in Mechanical Engineering from Germany.
For one to qualify for consideration for the AU top seat, prospective candidates must have proof of 20 years of relevant professional and international experience and demonstrate transformational leadership experience with strategic vision and proven skills in managing complex organisations at the national, regional or international level.
Candidates must also be fluent in at least one AU language of Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili or any other African language.
One must also demonstrate to the selection committee a record of setting clear standards for accountability, probity, value for money, risk management and zero tolerance for fraud and corruption.
Back home, Raila has received backing from his own Azimio and ODM camps as well as his fierce critics in President William Ruto’s UDA and Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
Raila’s interest in the powerful AU post signals his exit from local politics and could explain why there’s a rare show of solidarity by UDA who see him as a formidable challenger to their boss President Ruto in 2027.
