PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has stated that African countries have a responsibility to ensure that the African Union (AU) remains cohesive by adhering to its key goals, including constitutional reforms.

The remarks were aired in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi at the official launch yesterday of ex-Kenyan premier Raila Amolo Odinga, a veteran partner in Kenya cabinet coalitions, to take over as chairman of the African Union Commission (AUC).

The campaigns will be pursued among AU members starting up to the February 2025 session of an ordinary summit of the continental organisation, set to hold a vote on the various contenders to replace outgoing chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat.

The president said that African countries need to recognize their duty to strengthen accountability inwardly, such that dissident groups lay down their arms.

This will provide the African Union with an opportunity to achieve its set objectives such as advancing the 2063 development agenda, she stated.

Other EAC leaders who turned up to show support for the Kenyan statesman include the current EAC summit chairman, President Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan, Ugandan leader President Yoweri Museveni.

Prime Minister Gervais Ndirakobuca and State Minister for Foreign Affairs James Kabarebe represented Burundi and Rwanda respectively, while ex-presidents Jakaya Kikwete and Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria were also present.

“Despite the progress made by this African Union (AU), it is necessary to achieve the main goals by ensuring that our voices, the voices of Africans, are heard in global discussions, particularly on climate change and the shift to clean energy,” she emphasised.

This is equally vital in efforts to stake Africa in the global rush to achieve advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), she said, citing these goals as contributing to Tanzania’s support for Raila Odinga in his bid for the commission chairmanship, she stated.

Tanzania acknowledges that Odinga is an African leader who believes in practical cooperation among the AU member states, she said, highlighting the engineering studies background of the Kenyan statesman.

He understands that the AU needs more infrastructure to bridge the gap in this sector and achieve a strong and capable Africa, she said, underlining that Odinga can stand firm in ensuring that Africa's development priorities are addressed in various multilateral engagements in particular.

“Tanzania is assuring that it stands with Kenyans in supporting Odinga for this position… as a father figure well positioned for that role, so let him be elected,” she declared.

The Ugandan leader asserted that the major issue facing African countries is poverty, underlining that it needs to be addressed by ensuring the provision of essential social services.

“We need economic doctors in our communities, and if you look at our African societies, you may wonder what the problem is… tribes and religions exist. We have discovered that the major disease is poor development in the community, poverty.

“People need food, shelter and education, and how will they get these? Social development is required. If people produce wealth without accounting, and fail to analyze, they will not overcome poverty,” he stated.

What is fundamentally needed is patriotism among people of the continent, by purchasing locally produced goods to boost market levels and domestic economies, he said.

Odinga will contest for the AUC post with Mahmoud Ali Youssou who serves as Djibouti foreign minister, as well as Anil Kumarsingh Gayan and Richard James Randriamandranto, former foreign ministers for Mauritius and Madagascar respectively.