Raila to face Youssouf, Randriamandrato in a televised debate Friday » Capital News
NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 11 – The African Union has announced a televised debate for candidates vying for the position of Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), scheduled for Friday, at the African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Kenya’s candidate for the AU Chairperson position, Raila Odinga, is set to face two opponents — Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and Richard Randriamandrato from Madagascar — in the televised debate.
The debate will hold before a live audience comprising AU Executive Council members, Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) members, AU Commissioners, media representatives, and guests.
The African Union Commission, in a statement on Tuesday, said the debate, dubbed ‘Mjadala Afrika,’ aims to promote the AU’s mission and provide candidates with a platform to communicate their vision for achieving the organization’s goal of an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa.
“The debate will [be] broadcast live starting at 7:00 pm Eastern Africa Time (EAT) across the continent and beyond, accessible via the AU website and member states’ public broadcasters,” read the statement.
The AUC will avail the debate in six official AU languages: English, French, Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swahili.
The debate will focus on policy issues and a solutions-oriented engagement on how each candidate intends to advance the realization of the Aspirations and Goals of Agenda 2063, other AU projects with a continental focus, and Common African Positions.
This debate marks a significant moment in the campaign for the AUC’s top leadership role, as candidates will need to demonstrate their understanding of Africa’s challenges and articulate concrete solutions to move the continent forward.
Public opinion
The Commission has called on the public to share their questions in the comment section of posts on their X page about the debate, indicating their names and the country from which they will be watching.
This comes as Kenya’s candidate, Raila Odinga, who is aiming to succeed outgoing Chairperson Moussa Faki, has been intensifying his shuttle diplomacy efforts, engaging African Heads of State to rally support for his bid.
While no public opinion polls have revealed a frontrunner, Odinga is counting on his extensive experience in championing democratic reforms and fostering regional integration to secure the position.
Raila has since secured endorsements from several Heads of State and aims to gain more support in the final stretch of the race.
The AU Assembly will vote for the Commission Chairperson through a secret ballot, with Raila needing a two-thirds majority vote from eligible member states to clinch the seat.
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