The silencing of guns, the development of transport infrastructure, and harnessing the potential of the youth dividend—these top Kenya's former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's list of priorities, should he be elected as the Chairperson of the AU Commission.
Odinga was in Namibia to canvass support for his candidature and paid a courtesy call on President Nangolo Mbumba at State House.
The former Kenyan premier has since premised his plans for the continent on the dreams of its founding fathers, who envisioned a united continent, free from artificial borders.
The elections for the AU Commission Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson are slated for next month, during the 38th AU Summit in Addis Ababa.
Odinga promises to lead from the front, as Africa still battles insecurity in some parts and tackles the root causes of instability.
"It is unfortunate that military coups are making a comeback to the continent, and we need to look at the causative factors and deal with them. In 2013 there came a resolution to silence the guns by 2020; 2020 came, and the guns are not silent; they are still very loud. We need to look at the factors; some of them are historical, cultural, ethnic, economic, and so on. We need to silence the guns so development can take place. You see Sudan is burning; in other countries like Mali, Gabon, Niger, and so on, the military is ruling. So how do you find a way to deal with this issue so these countries can get admission to AU and something that is sustainable? I believe I am up for the tasks; I will lead from the front."
The Kenyan statesman also hopes to address the barriers to continental trade with full support under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
"One, develop the infrastructure to connect the continent, the highways to open up the interior, which is landlocked, then visa requirements—how do you reduce this so people can move freely? Air transport, all these clearances, and finally attending to the African youth. Africa is the youngest continent; 70% is below the age of 35. How do you deal with the youth explosion? How do you empower them so they can have access to the internet so they can use AI to leapfrog the continent to catch up with others?"
Odinga is running against Madagascar's former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Richard Randriamandrato, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Djibouti, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.