The Chairperson of the African Union Commission is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) whose overall responsibility is administration and finances, promoting and popularising the AU objectives.
Additional roles include consulting and coordinating with key stakeholders like member states and appointing and managing commission staff.
When the race for AUC Chairperson began in May last year, the commission directed the Eastern region to submit the name of its preferred candidate while the Northern region was told to submit the name of a candidate for the role of Deputy Chairperson.
Regions and Potential candidates were given up to August 6, 2024, to submit the names, candidates’ academic documents and academic qualifications.
A panel of 5 eminent Africans was established to oversee the pre-selection of candidatures for the eight positions, where Raila Odinga received approval to run for the seat.
Ecmomic blocs are significant during this election process. There are eight economic blocs within the African Union, including the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CSSS).
Others are the East African Community (EAC), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Raila has so far received support from 19 countries. These countries include Kenya, Togo, Gambia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Others are Tanzania, Uganda, the Seychelles, Mauritius, Rwanda, Burundi, Algeria, South Sudan, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Malawi.
Voting begins with the election of the AUC chairperson, followed by the deputy chairperson and then commissioners who are elected by the Executive Council.
The voting process is done in a secret ballot, and the candidate who garners two-thirds of the majority is declared the winner.
If any of the candidates fail to meet the two-third threshold, then the voting goes into the next round until a candidate achieves the set threshold.
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