Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has dismissed claims that President William Ruto influenced his decision to contest for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship.
Speaking on Monday at State House, Mombasa, Raila clarified that he declared his candidacy before the Head of State threw his support behind it.
“President Ruto never asked me to run. I announced myself that I was going to run for the AUC Chair position, and Ruto only came after my announcement to support my candidature. He supported my candidature not just by words but by deeds,” Raila said.
He also refuted claims that the government spent Ksh13 billion on his bid terming them as baseless exaggerations.
“I have seen someone mention Ksh13 billion. I don’t know what world they live in or if they even understand what a billion means. The funds used covered necessary transport, and some countries we visited generously provided accommodation,” he stated.
Raila acknowledged the leaders across the continent who supported his bid adding that his team had the capacity to stall the election process but chose not to.
“If we had wanted, we could have completely stopped the election because a two-thirds majority is required for victory. I also thank those who voted against us because they exercised their democratic right.”
The ODM leader disclosed that he will soon announce his next political move maintaining that he remains active in continental matters and national politics.
“I am available to serve Africa, but more importantly, I am also available for Kenya. I will meet with my friends and supporters for consultations and, in due course, announce the way forward,” he stated.
Raila lost his AUC bid to Djibouti’s Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, who secured the majority of votes in the election held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on February 15, 2025.
