Azimio leader Raila Odinga has expressed interest in the post of African Union Commission chairman with former President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo already having vouched for him as the best candidate.
Obasanjo who serves as AU Commission chair Moussa Faki Mahamat’s High Representative for the Horn of Africa region said he has no doubt Raila “is the right person to take over the mantle” upon Mahamat’s exit.
“If the EAC region backs him, I believe the rest of the continent will support him,” Obasanjo, who is in Kenya, said on Thursday.
He said AU leadership is consulting on the suitable person for the post but ordinarily, people who have served either as president or prime minister are most suitable for the job.
“We need a person with experience and who understands the situation Africa is in, and who comes from a background that can make a difference to take charge of AU,” Obasanjo said.
Raila, who served as Prime Minister during the grand coalition government, welcomed the idea saying it’s something that has been on his mind.
“I have been consulting widely. I think I’m ready to serve the continent of Africa. Africa deserves better,” he said during a joint press briefing with Obasanjo at his Karen home, in Nairobi.
The chairperson of the African Union Commission is the head of the Commission.
Should Raila receive the continent’s backing and bag the position, he will replace Faki and move to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the AU headquarters from where he will operate.
He will report to the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government and the AU Executive Council.
Raila will also assume the role of Chief Executive Officer, Legal Representative and the Accounting Officer of the Union.
As the accounting officer, Raila will be responsible for the administration and enforcement of the AU Financial Rules and Regulations across the Union and ensuring overall administrative and financial compliance.
He will also chair all Commission meetings and deliberations to determine the order of the agenda items and undertake measures aimed at promoting and popularising AU’s objectives.
Besides, Raila will facilitate the functioning, decision-making and reporting of all AU organ meetings and consult and coordinate with Member States’ governments, other institutions and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) on the AU’s activities.
He will also carry out the AU’s diplomatic representations and assume overall responsibility for the Commission’s administration and finances to ensure efficient and effective undertaking of the Commission’s mandate.
Other roles include the preparation of annual reports on the AU and its organs’ activities, leading the implementation of the Commission’s mandate and policies and supervising the performance and delivery of the Commission’s senior leadership team.
He will also lead diplomatic engagements and implement tasks assigned by the AU Assembly of Heads of State and the Executive Council.
Other tasks include ensuring the smooth and efficient functioning of AU statutory meetings, liaising closely with organs of the Union to guide and support and monitor the performance of the Union to ensure conformity and harmony with agreed policies and strategies.
The occupant of the AU chairman’s office is also mandated to carry out such other functions as may be determined by the Assembly or the Executive Council of the Union.
Incumbent Moussa Faki Mahamat was elected on January 30, 2017, after seven rounds of voting, beating Kenya’s candidate former Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed.
