MCSK CEO Ezekiel Mutua at a past press briefing. PHOTO: Ezekiel Mutua /Facebook
In Summary:
- Ezekiel Mutua, the CEO of the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK), criticized Kenyans who are wishing for Raila Odinga to fail in his bid to become the chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC).
- Mutua called this sentiment “naive”, arguing that Kenyans should support their own country’s candidate regardless of personal differences.
Raila Odinga, the former Prime Minister of Kenya, declared his interest earlier this year in the AUC chairmanship position as the term of the current chairperson, Moussa Faki, comes to an end
However, some Kenyans have been praying for Odinga’s failure in the Addis Ababa vote, accusing him of betraying the cause for better governance by siding with President William Ruto in the face of the youth-led revolt against the government.
Ezekiel Mutua, the MCSK CEO, has condemned this sentiment, calling it “the height of naivety” for Kenyans to wish for their own country’s candidate to lose the AU bid to a candidate from another country.
Mutua argued that while Kenyans may not like certain things about Odinga, he is representing their country, and they should ignore personal differences and wish him well.
The Kenyan government is sponsoring Odinga’s bid and is working to push him to the continental top job through a strategic campaign.
The next AUC chairperson is set to come from East Africa, and several presidents from the region, including William Ruto, Yoweri Museveni, Samia Suluhu, and others, have already declared their support for Odinga’s candidacy.