- Raila Odinga's bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship is facing opposition as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has endorsed his rival
- The endorsement comes after Mauritius' withdrawal, leaving Madagascar as the sole contender from the region.
- With the support of 16 SADC nations behind Randriamandrato, Odinga's prospects of winning the majority vote may be compromised
Raila Odinga's aspiration to become the next African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson has hit a major obstacle.
This follows the Southern African Development Community (SADC) formally endorsing Madagascar's Richard J. Randriamandrato for the position.
Who is the candidate nominated by SADC for the position of Chairperson of the African Union Commission?
This decision, confirmed in a letter from SADC Executive Secretary Elias M. Magosi to Zimbabwe's Minister of Foreign Affairs, shows that the regional bloc is entirely in agreement on its backing for Madagascar's candidate.
"I am writing to inform you, esteemed minister, that the honourable Richard J. Randriamandrato, a former foreign affairs minister of the Republic of Madagascar, has been selected as the sole candidate from the SADC region for the position of Chairperson of the African Union Commission," the letter states.
The endorsement followed Mauritius's withdrawal of its contender from the competition, leaving Randriamandrato as the sole candidate from the SADC region.
During the August 2024 Southern African Development Community (SADC) Council meeting in Harare, the regional bloc agreed to support a single candidate in order to enhance regional representation in the African Union Commission (AUC) elections.
What are the SADC member states?
The letter also encouraged all SADC member countries, including South Africa, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia, to unite behind Randriamandrato.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) comprises Angola, Botswana, Comoros, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Will SADC's stance impact Odinga's candidacy?
President William Ruto officially launched Odinga's candidacy on August 27, 2022, unveiling his vision and priorities for the AUC leadership.
In early September, Ruto and Odinga met with several African heads of state, including leaders from Guinea-Bissau, Togo, Chad, Rwanda, Zambia, the Republic of the Congo, and Mali, to garner backing for Odinga's candidacy.
Odinga will run against Djibouti's Foreign Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf and Madagascar's former Foreign Minister Richard Randriamandrato in the upcoming elections.
The SADC stance has now become a disadvantage for Odinga, who had hoped to garner some support from the regional bloc.
The final decision will be made during the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, which is scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on February 15 and 16.