Days after declaring his interests in the African Union Commission Chairmanship, Raila Odinga’s qualifications for the job have been questioned in some quarters.
His longtime critic and lawyer Miguna Miguna was among those questioning his profile and suitability for the job.
In a post on his X, Miguna quoted a document by the African Union Commission to point out some requirements he felt Raila fell short of.
“To be chairman of the AU Council (the equivalent of the IEBC in Kenya), one must have AT LEAST a master’s degree in law, political science, business administration, economics, or social sciences,” the lawyer noted while quoting a document from the AU.
Besides his academic credentials, Miguna also emphasized that a candidate for the AUC chairmanship should have a clean bill in matters relating to integrity.
Requirements for AU job
A closer look into the document detailing the job profile of the AU chair and other aspects including requirements and functions shows that a candidate should have a master’s degree in law, International Relations, Economics, Diplomacy, Management, Business Administration, Political Science, Social Sciences or closely related field from a recognized institution.
The Commission also notes that a PhD in the fields mentioned above would be an added advantage for a candidate.
In addition, a person seeking to take up the role should have at least twenty (20) years of relevant professional and international experience with at least ten (10) years served in progressive senior leadership role.
According to the document, such leadership or professional experience should be in an intergovernmental organization or national government/public service, international or regional institution.
Other requirements include ability to speak in one AU working language, with proficiency in another AU working language coming as an added advantage.
Look into Raila Odinga’s Profile
For Raila, his experience in leadership and public service in Kenya will hand him an advantage to tick one of the boxes in the requirements set.
So far, Raila has served in high-ranking positions in the public service including as Kenya’s Prime Minister between 2008 and 2013, as a Minister, and the Member of Parliament for Lang’ata between 1993 and 2013.
Also Read: Azimio Issues Statement on Raila AU Job
Despite not being among the fields mentioned in the AUC requirements, Raila has in the past asserted that he holds a Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering which he attained in 1970 from the University of Leipzig, Germany.
That notwithstanding, critics in Kenya’s political space have in the past questioned his credentials- among them former ally and aide Miguna Miguna.
On his part, the current AUC chairman Mousa Faki is a lawyer and has worked as a tutor in the law domain.
Prior to his becoming AUC Chairman, Faki had also served in several positions in leadership including as Chad’s Prime Minister and as a Foreign Affairs Minister.
Also Read: UDA Takes Stance on Raila’s Bid for AU Job
But away from the skeptics and critics of Raila’s bid, the former Prime Minister has received backing from leaders including his co-principals in the opposition and some pro-government leaders.
The government, according to reports, is in the process of assembling a team to lead in lobbying for support to Raila’s candidature ahead of the elections slated for early 2025.
Raila Odinga announced his bid on Thursday, February 15, after a meeting with former Nigerian President and long-time friend Olusegun Obasanjo.
