By THE CITIZEN

More by this Author

The East African Community (EAC) heads of state will back one candidate for chairmanship of the African Union Commission (AUC).

This was announced in the Kenyan capital Nairobi on Tuesday by President William Ruto when addressing the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala).

Two candidates from the region, Kenya's veteran opposition leader and former prime minister Raila Odinga and former Somalia Foreign Affairs minister Fawzia Yusuf Adam, will contest for the position.

However, President Ruto told the Eala lawmakers that EAC presidents have agreed to support one candidate for the chairmanship.

Read: Somalia fronts ex-minister for AUC top seat

“We have sat down in the spirit of EAC, consulted as heads of state and agreed to front one candidate,” Ruto said.

According to Ruto, the decision was arrived at after intensive consultation.

“We will sponsor one candidate as East Africans because that is the strength of our community,” he stated.

Raila’s candidature for the AUC chairmanship has generated some debate in the Kenyan political matrix given that he was a bitter rival of President Ruto.

Ever since news of his candidature became public, the opposition leader has toned down his verbal attacks on Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza government.

The opposition camp has not been spared either as it has found itself divided, with some predicting the end of forceful direct challenge to the government in power.

The has been reports that the Raila-led Azimio la Umoja coalition could break into two alliances; one aligned to ODM with stronghold in Western Kenya and Jubilee associated with former president Uhuru Kenyatta.

Other analysts believe the election of Raila as AUC chairman will see his departure from opposition in the Kenyan local politics.

Read: Kenya ruling coalition happy to see Raila off to Addis

However, Raila has repeatedly denied this and insists that he would still play his part in the opposition despite having enjoyed backing by Ruto for the AUC post.

Ruto also stated that the security enjoyed in the region has contributed to the tremendous growth of EAC, making it a competitive commercial hub across the globe.

“There is no doubt that as a result of the progress made in entrenching our regional integration as a social, cultural, political, and economic reality,” he said.

He also announced that Kenya will be hosting this year’s World Bank Group’s International Development Association (IDA) Summit on April 29, 2024.

IDA is the largest source of development assistance, and donor funding for basic social services for the world’s 75 low-income countries.

The meeting will seek to support economic transformation in Africa and throughout the Global South, he pointed out.