• Amina had until the meeting kept a low profile since leaving office in former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government where she last headed the Sports docket.
• Raila is believed to be banking on his networks in AU but both the government and the Opposition have backed his bid during the bloc’s elections in 2025.
Image: PCSP
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi on Tuesday held talks with former Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed at his office in Nairobi.
Amina had until the meeting kept a low profile since leaving office in former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government where she last headed the Sports docket.
Previously, Amina manned the Foreign Affairs Ministry which Mudavadi now heads.
“It was wonderful catching up with Waziri Ambassador Amina Mohammed. Thank you for the gracious visit,” Mudavadi said in a brief on X.
He did not divulge more information surrounding the meeting.
The meeting comes at a time when Mudavadi has been bestowed the mandate to lead a campaign team for Opposition leader Raila Odinga’s bid for the African Union Commission chairmanship.
Kenya fronted Amina for the slot back in 2017 but she lost to Chad’s Moussa Faki Mahamat of Chad who has held the seat to date following his re-election in 2021 for a second term.
Raila officially declared his candidature for the AU top job on February 15 citing his previous service as AU High Representative for Infrastructure among credentials that make him a suitable candidate.
"Serving as the AU High Representative for Infrastructure gave me the advantage of learning about each African country. I believe by working together, we can emancipate Africa," Raila said during a press conference at his Karen home.
Former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo instantly endorsed him saying, “We need a person with experience, a person who understands the situation we are in”.
Raila is believed to be banking on his networks in AU but both the government and the Opposition have backed his bid to replace Mahamat during the bloc’s next summit in 2025.
It is understood that President William Ruto has assembled campaign machinery to pitch the Azimio leader’s candidature even as he helps his former political nemesis do the groundwork and shore up continental support.
On Monday, the President and Raila met Uganda President Yoweri Museveni in Kampala where Ruto said they held talks on issues of mutual interest between the two countries and Raila’s AU bid.
“We have agreed on a way forward of sourcing and scheduling imports for the region in a manner that will ensure we achieve the most competitive pricing and maximum logistical efficiency,” Ruto said in a statement.
“Also discussed was the declared candidacy of Kenya's former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for the Africa Union Commission chairmanship,” he added.
Raila said in a statement Museveni endorsed his candidature for the top job during the visit which they also took time out of their engagement to visit Museveni’s cattle farm in Kisozi.
“I am very grateful to President Museveni for strongly endorsing my candidacy and to President Ruto for fully backing it,” he said.