Raila Hit’s the Ground Running,See First Press Conference in South Africa

Opposition Chief and Africa’s new high envoy for Development and Infrastructure Raila Odinga has already hit the ground running in his new job.

The former Prime minister today visited the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) agency and was received by the NEPAD Chief executive officer Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki.

Mr. Odinga said he looks foward to working in his new role as AU High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa.

“High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa Rt Hon Raila Odinga is today Monday, 29 October expected to visit the NEPAD Agency to discuss his role as champion of the Trans-African Highways Network and the Continental High-Speed Train.

The High Representative will pay particular attention to the missing links along the transnational highway corridors identified as part of the Trans-African Highways Network, with a view to facilitating their development and modernisation. He will also focus on the Continental High Speed Train, which is one of the flagship projects of Agenda 2063.

The event will be followed by a media briefing at the NEPAD Agency with Hon. Raila Odinga and Dr Ibrahim Mayaki, CEO of the NEPAD Agency between 12h30 to 13h15 at the NEPAD Agency headquaters, 230 15th Road, Randjespark, Midrand, South Africa,” read a memo by NEPAD


Raila Odinga, during his visit to the USA at the Duke University, revealed that his major concern right now is to ensure that the Trans-African Highway project that was launched in 1971 is completed.

The Trans-African project is a network of nine highways which, when connected, will cover a combined total of 60,000 kilometers across the continent.

“One of them will stretch 8,000 kilometers between Cairo (Egypt) and Dakar (Senegal); another for 8,000 kilometers between Cairo and Cape Town; a third for 6,000 kilometers between Lagos and Mombasa; and a fourth for 4,700 kilometers between Dakar and Lagos (Nigeria),” said Mr Odinga.

According to Mr. Odinga, only one of nine highways has been completed so far.

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