Four prominent African politicians representing Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, and Mauritius have expressed interest in vying for the top position at the African Union Commission.
The continental body, which consists of 55 member states, will conduct elections during its February summit to select a new leader for the Commission to succeed Moussa Faki Mahamat.
The position this year is set aside for a delegate from East Africa to take over from the Chadian who has been in office since 2017.
The African Union released a statement naming four potential candidates: Mahamoud Ali Youssouf from Djibouti, Raila Odinga from Kenya, Richard Randriamandrato from Madagascar, and Anil Gayan from Mauritius.
“I am the only candidate capable of bridging the gap between the different regions of Africa, being French-speaking, but also English-speaking and Arabic-speaking,” said Djibouti’s Youssouf.
The 58-year-old has been foreign minister of the tiny but strategic Horn of Africa nation since 2005.
His primary competitor is the long-time Kenyan opposition leader Odinga, who, at 79 years old, has attempted and been unsuccessful in his bid for the presidency five times. Most recently, he lost the 2022 election to William Ruto.
Odinga devoted his early political career to advocating for democracy, enduring periods of imprisonment or exile as he resisted President Daniel Arap Moi’s autocratic leadership.
“We are focused on bringing the seat home for Kenya and serving the African people,” Odinga said on X last month, announcing his candidacy.
Gayan, aged 76, served as foreign minister of Mauritius from 1983 to 1986 and again from 2000 to 2003, while Randriamandrato was Madagascar’s foreign minister from March to October 2022 but was fired for voting to condemn Russia’s annexations of Ukrainian regions.
The AU commission chair, serving as the body’s chief executive, has a four-year term, renewable once.