The African Union Commission (AUC) Chairmanship race has gained momentum with Kenya’s former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali emerging as frontrunners. On December 13, the candidates faced off in a live debate. As the election day draws closer, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has asked Odinga to work with his main competitor once he clinches the seat.
Speaking on December 18, Sakaja said Raila is the best candidate ahead of Djibouti’s Foreign Affairs Minister and Madagascar’s Richard Randriamandranto.
He explained that Raila is a leader and a statesman while his competitors are just managers.
“He is going to win. Did you see the debate. There is a difference between a statesman, a leader and managers,” Sakaja said.
Sakaja expressed confidence in Raila’s victory and urged him to appoint Ali as Secretary General (SG) or Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
According to Sakaja, Ali has the passion to serve as AUC Chairman, but he still doesn’t have the required level of statesmanship for the join.
“I told him to hire the Djibouti candidate to be his CEO or Secretary General. He looks like he also has passion but the statesmanship you require to handle Presidents is at the level where Raila is and he did exceptionally well,” he said.
He defended his decision to support Raila for the AUC position despite being in different political parties and coalitions.
Why I Support Raila
Sakaja stated that he supports Raila as a qualified Kenyan candidate for the continental position.
“I’m the leader of the UDA party in Nairobi. I am supporting a Kenyan who is going for a continental seat that we should be proud of and who deserves that seat. I’m supporting Raila,” he said.
He explained that he is currently working with Raila in Nairobi under the broad-based Government.
“I work with him also politically in the city. We are in broad based now so it’s easy and good. Our politics must never be defined with who you can’t work with,” he said.
Also Read: Why Do You Hate Raila? Kenyans Confronted for Supporting Djibouti Candidate
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Sakaja on Impeachment & Working with Azimio MCAs
The Governor also highlighted how he works with the MCAs, the majority of whom are from the Azimio Coalition.
Sakaja said there was a lot of political fiction after the elections which have now been settled.
“Of course, once in a while there always there will always be an issue anywhere, but you find a way out,” he said.
He explained that the first job is to manage the politics followed by the services.
Also Read: Raila’s AUC Rival: Mahamoud Ali Youssouf Profile & Key Accomplishments
He also clarified that most of the governors who have been impeached are from the parties with the majority of the MCAs in their respective county assemblies.
According to Sakaja, being from the minority party is not a guarantee that a governor will be impeached.
“Most impeachments have been done where the governor has a majority by the way um and in politically homogeneous counties. It’s not about that, it’s how it’s how you create a relationship and an understanding because there’s the immediacy of needs you know people want things done,” he said.
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