KENDO: United Africa a threat to imperial West

The man whose supporters, fans and admirers call the ‘people’s president’ is the subject of a pull and push to become ‘president of African presidents’. The realisation of the dream would punctuate a political career whose defining motif is sacrifice.

Friendly African leaders and former presidents are likely to endorse the Kenyan patriot’s nomination to chair the African Union Commission. They are pulling people’s ‘Baba’ towards Addis Ababa, the headquarters of the African Union. 

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo was here to persuade the international politician to take up the challenge. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, a friend of the people’s president, will most likely endorse the Kenyan opposition leader. Between them they could persuade presidents of southern African countries to vote for the Kenyan nominee with an international name recognition.

The Kenyan government has indicated its willingness to support the nomination. This makes the former prime minister Kenya’s candidate for the continental assignment. 

‘President of presidents’ is how the enigma’s passionate supporters see their leader’s ambition to head the commission. The possibility has attracted conflicting responses. 

There are fears, hopes and ‘clicks of good riddance’ masquerading as patriotism. It’s wonderful, though, to see Kenyans supporting a Kenyan for the African Union Commission leadership. 

Cynics, however, take the Kenya Kwanza endorsement with guarded caution. The regime may be pushing its lead critic out of contention. Behind the scenes, ‘KK’ choristers probably hope the African assignment would take Baba away from local politics.

The possibility could boost their chances during the 2027 general election. The absence of the Orange Democratic Movement leader could also reduce opposition pressure on the regime. The endorsement could be a statement replete with vested interests.

ODM 2022 party nomination losers see the possibility of the Addis engagement as an opportunity for them to rig their way into elective offices. Some of the spurned politicians jumped onto the KK bandwagon immediately after the election.

Then there are Baba orphans who fear they would stall without the 2022 Azimio coalition presidential candidate. The Azimio house will miss its leader’s gravitas should the nomination win the support of the majority of African presidents. 

Azimio leader’s ally Kalonzo Musyoka and 2022 coalition running mate Martha Karua may fill the expected opposition power vacuum.

Raila Odinga has a fine pan-Africanist purpose. He is the building stone cynics don't know. Western conspiracy against pan-Africanists, including Raila, is legendary. 

They will resist Raila’s idea of a trans-Africa railroad linking Cairo and Johannesburg, Abuja with Mombasa, through the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Imperialists don’t support African unitarists as president. Will they support an African Union Commission under the leadership of a strong pan-Africanist? African presidents must stand up for a stronger continent.

Southern, Central and West Africa have occupied the position on many occasions since 2002. East and North Africa are yet to take a turn. The laidback incumbent Moussa Faki is from Central Africa. The former Chadian Prime Minister’s term ends next year.

Alpha Oumar Konare, who served as African Union Commission chairperson from 2003 to 2008, was from West Africa. The office has a regional rotational calendar.

The 1963 Charter of the Organization of African Unity, which transformed into the African Union in 2002, was signed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The founding presidents then meeting in the Ethiopian capital, were convinced African peoples have an inalienable right to control their destiny. They forged a common front to champion freedom, equality, justice and dignity as essential objectives for the achievement of the legitimate aspirations of the African peoples.  

The founders, among them Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah, Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere, Guinea’s Seko Toure, Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta and Ethiopia’s Haile Sellasia, were conscious of their responsibility to harness the natural and human resources of the continent for the advancement of African peoples.

The founders were determined to safeguard and consolidate the hard-won independence as well as the sovereignty and territorial integrity of African states, and to fight against neocolonialism.