Raila’s political career and enthusiasm now hangs on a balance following his appointment at the African Union.
The announcement was made yesterday by Moussa Faki Mahamat who is the Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
Reports have it that Members of Parliament allied to the Jubilee Party and National Super Alliance (NASA) are now asking Opposition chief Raila Odinga to retire from local politics and concentrate on his new appointment to the African Union.
The new position held by Raila Odinga will either mean abandoning his political role or finding a balance. Although he has made it clear that he is currently working with the government which according to Kenyans has crippled the opposition.
As captured on the standard, Political risk analyst Dismas Mokua says in theory, with such an appointment Raila should now exit the local political space and stay focused on the infrastructure at the continental level.
Raila joins the league of former presidents and senior leaders in the continent and this places him near a climax of his pursuit as a Pan Africanist.
With a lot of travel around the continent rallying political support to his new cause, Raila might find himself divorced from local politics.
As a special envoy of the AU chairperson, Raila will have an office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, but with frequent travel across the continent. He will mediate in peace negotiations and conflict resolution among other roles.