“No more vitendawili in 2022,” Raila finally spells it out aloud.

The political arena in the country never gets any more interesting than when Raila Odinga is involved. The former prime minister is considered among few political geniuses. He has strong arguments which sometimes turn out to be humorous.  In fact his political foes refer to him as “mtu wa vitendawili.”

Raila Odinga will not engage in succession politics ahead of the 2022 general election.

Mr Odinga’s spokesman Dennis Onyango said this in a statement on Monday, while giving clarifications on his new role as the African Union’s High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa.

“Mr Odinga wants to dedicate the next couple of years to building infrastructure across the continent through his new office and uniting Kenyans through the Building Bridges Initiative,” the spokesman said.

Raila Amolo Odinga

Dennis Onyango gave the following details on Raila’s new job at the AU:

  • Since the position will require frequent travel, particularly to foot-print member states and regional economic communities across the continent, he will work with New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad) offices in the various regions to coordinate his activities.
  • His travels across the continent will be in line with responsibilities that include building political buy-in and ownership of member states, mobilising Africa’s partners and resources to assist member states and facilitating member states to review and conform to recommendations on the Minimum Road/Highway Design of the Trans African Highway Network.
  • Mr Odinga will continue operating from Nairobi, where an office will be set up to coordinate his activities as AU High Representative for Infrastructure Development.
  • To provide the required leadership in this critical area, and in line with his previous pronouncements, Mr Odinga wishes to reiterate that he will not engage in Kenya’s succession politics ahead of 2022.

While in Siaya County on Saturday, however, Mr Odinga indicated that he will continue to engage in local politics.

“I am going nowhere. My new appointment as AU envoy comes with an office in Nairobi. I will just be traveling to Ethiopia, South Africa and other African nations on assignment and returning to the office in Nairobi, where I will be based,” he said.

Politicians who have asked the ODM leader to quit local politics say the new role is full-time and requires his full attention.

 

WHAT WILL THE POLITICAL CLIMATE WITHOUT RAILA ODINGA?

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