How Raila Odinga’s AUC Aspiration Dampens the Political Dreams of Mount Kenya Politicians

Politicians who have been using the name of the leader of the One Kenya Alliance, Raila Odinga, to build their political stature in the Mount Kenya region may face a tough challenge if the leader is appointed as the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC).

According to former Deputy Minister (CAS) of Education in the government of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, Zack Kinuthia, these politicians will have a difficult time winning over the citizens in the 2027 elections, as they will have nothing to attribute to Mr. Odinga.

For a long time, many politicians have accused Mr. Odinga of being a political “enemy” of the region.

Some prominent critics of Mr. Odinga include Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Majority Leader in the National Assembly Kimani Ichung’wah, and Members of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu) and John Njuguna ‘Kawanjiku,’ among others.

However, Kinuthia said that given the uncertainty about whether Odinga will run for the presidency or not, many politicians in the region will have to employ different strategies in their campaigns, as they cannot solely rely on blaming and criticizing Mr. Odinga.

“If Odinga succeeds in being elected as the chairperson of the AUC, many politicians in the Mount Kenya region will be left in a quandary. They will be left at a crossroads, especially if they haven’t fulfilled the promises they made to their constituents. My prediction is that the absence of Odinga in Kenyan politics will mark the end of some politicians,” said Kinuthia.

Nevertheless, he mentioned that this would be the beginning of “a new political dawn in the region, as many residents will open their eyes and start scrutinizing the performance of their leaders.”

“For many residents of Mount Kenya, this will be their initiation into politics without baseless animosity towards Odinga. Undoubtedly, many will begin to open their eyes to evaluate the actions of these politicians,” Kinuthia concluded.