Moses Kuria, Senior Advisor on President William Ruto’s Council of Economic Advisors, has unveiled a plan to operate a tallying centre in Addis Ababa ahead of the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson election.
Kuria announced that he would be stationed in Addis Ababa from February 10 to February 15, 2025, coinciding with the convergence of African heads of state and government in the Ethiopian capital to vote for the next AUC Chairperson.
“From February 10 to D-Day on February 15, I will be camping in Addis Ababa to set up the official tallying centre,” Kuria wrote on X.
A trusted team
Ruto’s economic advisor expressed doubts about certain individuals’ ability to safeguard Raila Odinga’s votes, referencing their failure to do so in the past.
To address this, Kuria enlisted Jaro Soja and Dem Wa Facebook to manage the tallying centre in Addis and pledged to personally sponsor three other Raila supporters to join him in the Ethiopian capital.
“There are some people I cannot trust to protect Baba’s votes. They have failed to do so in the past. I will sponsor five Baba supporters to travel with me. First is my friend Jaro Soja. Second is Dem Wa Facebook. I am still looking for three more. Baba must win,” Kuria stated.
To secure the AUC Chairperson position, a candidate must obtain a two-thirds majority, or at least 36 votes, from the 55 AU member states, each of which has one vote.
Raila’s AUC diplomatic blitz
Raila has shifted his campaign efforts for the AUC Chairperson seat to North Africa.
So far, he has visited Algeria, Tunisia, and Mauritania to present his agenda to the region’s leaders.
On Wednesday, January 22, 2025, Raila was received in Algiers by Algerian Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui.
“I have been warmly welcomed in Algiers by the Rt. Hon. Nadir Larbaoui, the Prime Minister of Algeria. We had an opportunity to discuss and renew our mutual relations as brotherly countries.
“I shared my vision for the African Union and emphasized the importance of strengthening Pan-Africanism for continental prosperity. Thank you, Prime Minister,” Raila stated.
On Thursday, January 23, 2025, Raila met with Tunisia’s Secretary of State, Mohamed Ben Ayed, to discuss his AUC bid.
In a statement, Raila noted that he had shared his vision for Africa with the Tunisian official and sought the support of the North African nation.
“H.E. Mohamed Ben Ayed, Secretary of State to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tunisians Abroad, graciously hosted me in Tunis.
“During our meeting, I outlined my vision for Africa and plans to strengthen the effectiveness of the African Union Commission if elected Chairperson,” Raila said.
On Friday, January 24, 2025, Raila met with Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani in Nouakchott to discuss his AUC bid.
“I am honoured to be hosted in Nouakchott, Mauritania, by President H.E. Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, Chairperson of the African Union.
“I also met SEM BAL Mohamed El Habib, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During our discussions, I presented my vision centred on African unity and the need for economic independence and prosperity,” Raila stated.
The former Prime Minister launched his North African campaign trail following a whirlwind diplomatic tour across Southern Africa a week earlier.
In Southern Africa, Raila campaigned in Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho, and Mozambique.
In support of Raila’s candidacy, Kenya will host a special retreat for African heads of state and government in Nairobi on January 27, 2025.
The retreat, organized by President William Ruto, aims to consolidate continental support for Raila’s election.
While Ruto will officially host the retreat in his capacity as the champion of AU reforms, the event also serves as a strategic platform to bolster Raila’s bid for the top continental role.
According to State House Nairobi, Angolan President João Lourenço is among the leaders confirmed to attend the retreat, underscoring Kenya’s commitment to securing Raila’s election.
“President Ruto, who was mandated by fellow African heads of state to champion AU reforms, has invited President Lourenço to a retreat in Kenya later this month, ahead of the AU Heads of State Summit in February,” the statement read.
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