Shock as it emerges that RAILA does not qualify to be AU Chairman – See the requirements needed for the job which he does not have?

 

Monday, February 19, 2024 - Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has announced his ambition to succeed Moussa Faki as the African Union Commission Chairperson in 2025. 

Raila’s bid for the top AU job has received backing from international leaders, including former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Locally, he has received support from across the board even from the most unlikely quarters such as the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA). 

However, his bid is in limbo after it emerged that he does not have all the requirements needed for the job.

Raila must meet certain requirements set by the AU some of which he does not have.

This includes; a Master's Degree, relevant experience, fluency in at least one AU language, and proof of transformational leadership. 

According to AU, the Master’s Degree must be in Law, International Relations, Economics, Diplomacy, Management, Business Administration, Political Science, Social Sciences, or a closely related field from a recognized institution.

A Ph.D. in the same field is also considered an added advantage for interested candidates. 

However, according to his biography, the Azimio leader has an MSc (Master of Science) in Mechanical Engineering from Germany. 

On languages, Raila will be required to demonstrate that he is proficient in one of the AU working languages while proficiency in another AU working language is highly desirable. 

The official languages of AU are Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili, and any other African language.

Raila is multilingual and fluent in both Kiswahili and English.