By NATION AFRICA

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Angola has signalled that it will support Kenya's bid for former prime minister Raila Odinga to win the African Union Commission chairmanship, amid growing public support for Nairobi's candidate.

Angola's Ambassador to Kenya Sianga Samuel Abilio said his country would "stand in solidarity" with Kenya to ensure Mr Odinga wins the top seat. But Mr Abilio remained diplomatic about whether Angola had made a formal commitment to do so.

“Angola is aware of the matter and is working on that issue. We will not let Kenya down.

“This is a diplomatic answer to you,” Mr Abilio told the Nation on Thursday.

Read: Stars align for Raila in AUC chair job hunt

Angola was celebrating 22 years since the end of civil war and Mr Abilio gathered a group of experts on trade and security to speak of his country’s continued re-integration in the continent after years of war.

Angola's ruling MPLA party and then rebels UNITA ended Africa's longest war, at the time, by signing a peace agreement in the capital, Luanda on April 4, 2002. Angolans call it the day of peace and national reconciliation.

The envoy's statement that Angola could be amenable to an Odinga candidacy could be good news for Nairobi, which began lobbying last week. Odinga, the veteran opposition leader, formally declared his interest in Nairobi on February 1, 2024, and was instantly endorsed by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Rwanda and Ghana have made similar pledges and President Ruto said members of the East African Community had promised to support Odinga, although Somalia has also endorsed a candidate.

On Wednesday, Kenya struck a deal with Ghana that will see Accra support Mr Odinga's bid for the chairmanship of the African Union Commission.

President William Ruto confirmed that Ghana had agreed to support Raila's candidacy for the chairmanship of the African Union Commission (2025-28), which was launched after an extensive process of stakeholder engagement across government.

Read: On Ghana trip, Ruto makes case for Raila's AU bid

In return, Nairobi will support Ghana's candidate for the post of Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

Odinga has previously served as the High Representative for Infrastructure Development at the African Union Commission, a position he took up in 2018.

He was controversially relieved of his duties by the body on February 23, 2023.

When he first declared his interest in the AUC chairmanship, Mr Obasanjo said it was the right time for a person from East Africa to lead the AU Commission and that he believed Odinga was a viable candidate.

The African Union has since confirmed that only candidates from the region will contest the AUC chairmanship when elections are held in February next year.

Mr Odinga has since secured the support of President Ruto, who he is running against in the 2022 presidential election.

The two leaders have recently put aside their political differences, with President Ruto rallying Kenya Kwanza Alliance MPs to support Mr Odinga's bid.

It is understood that President Ruto and Mr Odinga have crafted a campaign team to rally regional leaders to support Mr Odinga's bid for the top job.