ALL glasses are lately being raised for Kigamboni MP Dr Faustine Ndugulile, after his being selected in World Health Organisation (WHO) councils for the position of Africa regional director starting next March. The MP has a six-month preparatory period to acclimatise to the new designation as he has to adapt his vision for the new functions. His advice and decisions will have a substantial impact in the manner in which the key UN agency takes up current and future issues critical to wellbeing.

For one thing, the MP was most mindful that he is a legislator and vows to maintain certain levers as a constituency MP until his term ends, which implies that he has a keen ear on his political future. At 55 years of age, a four year stint at the UN agency will take him nearly to retirement age, but often there is no retirement in politics, at least not really at 60. The vow to serve his constituency even with his new position is unlikely to be a formality, unlike in the case of elder brother Odinga.

Several African leaders were in Nairobi last week to start a formal campaign to get the veteran opposition leader and coalitions architect into the seat of the African Union Commission, which effectively removes him from day to day politics there. At 79 years of age, the veteran Kenyan opposition leader was partially looking for an honourable way out of the political turf, while his Pan-African credentials and vast administrative or activist experience make him homely to most groups. He can have conversations with Heads of State nearly as one of them, or radical activists.

While taking office or being nominated to such a post is a moment for restating the big goals and continental vision, it appears that the city MP has his ears to the ground. Some are already talking of the new post as guiding Africa’s health sector in the challenges it faces, six years before the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) timeframe elapses. Visionary leadership is crucial for Africa’s success, he stated in his acknowledgment remarks on the floor of the legislature. Is it starting?

There is already a vision guiding the politics in each African country, and indeed within the UN system, and specifically a health sector vision for WHO in its Africa region, Incidentally, Dr Ndugulile will not have to think out a vision as an African is at present guiding WHO activities, and given the rotating character of UN positions, the next WHO director general won’t be coming from Africa. The best the MP and former health sector administrator can do is to carry with him a badge of the 4Rs, and see where they can be of use in his day to day calls. It is the best he could do.