Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda has explained why ODM leader Raila Odinga may have to leave the local politics scene if he gets the AU chairperson job.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV on Thursday, the senator said Raila's new role will be more of a pan-Africanist with many responsibilities.
“If Raila leaves the local scene, he will have to serve as a Pan-Africanist in the African Union. The role of the AU is vast; he is the legal embodiment of the union,” he said.
“The commission consists of 8 commissioners who will be chaired by Raila and he will have responsibilities. He will sign treaties, he ensures that every undertaking member seats are implemented, he will be transacting with different member seats and he will be in charge of the daily running of the secretariat of the AU.”
He added that Raila will not have time to involve himself in local affairs because the AU job role will be on a full-time basis.
His remarks came after Raila stated that his bid to become the fifth African Union (AU) Commission chairperson will not stifle opposition’s the voice.
“I am not going away. Addis Ababa is only two hours away from Nairobi. I am available, whenever I am called I will answer. I am ready to work with you people,” he said.
Raila affirmed that the country's opposition will not back down on its oversight role even in his absence.
"I am ready to work with you people. What is important is that we must ensure that what we set out to is eventually achieved," Raila said.
"Some of you might be forgetting, we said that we are unbwogable(fearless). We are also unpangarable. We cannot be pangwad. We are unbwogable therefore have no fear at all, we are unbwogable and we will get there," Raila said.
President William Ruto had on Tuesday said he was fulfilling his promise to the people of Homa Bay during the campaigns that his government would be all-inclusive.
“I told you when I was speaking at the market near here but you didn’t believe me then….I remember telling you that we want to unite the country, we want to work together for the unity of Kenya," he said.
President Ruto added that he wanted a win-win outcome for everyone, even those in the opposition who felt left out.
