Gachagua Ally Corners 100 MPs Set To Travel With Raila For AUC Elections

Nyandarua Senator John Methu on Tuesday, February 11 criticised a move by close to 100 Members of Parliament (MP) to accompany former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia ahead of the African Union Commission (AUC) elections set for February 15, 2025. 

Methu was responding to media reports alleging that the lawmakers will accompany President William Ruto and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi to Addis Ababa to support Raila Odinga’s bid for the African Union Commission chairmanship. 

Commenting on the revelation while appearing on Citizen TV, Methu argued that roping 100 MPs for the Ethiopia journey was a waste of taxpayers' money and that they had no role to play in the road to the AUC seat, in his view.

The Senator opined that the government should not entertain joyriders, and that the MPs should cater their own expenses, including travel and accommodation, given the plum salaries they earn every month.

Nyandarua Senator John Methu speaking in Laikipia County on February 10, 2025. /JOHN METHU

“I want to hope and imagine that the 100 MPs that are going with Baba to Ethiopia are doing so with their own budget. We cannot be a spendthrift. Raila Odinga has his own secretariat. There is no role that the MPs in my opinion are offering apart from their supportive role that we are offering.

“We cannot then be, as a government, sending 100 MPs from tomorrow to Saturday just to idle around Addis Ababa. These are the kinds of things that are choking and hurting the people of Kenya,” said Methu.

Still, the Nyandarua Senator expressed support for Raila's AUC bid, remarking the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader's fearless criticism of President William Ruto's government over the abductions.

"We wish Raila Odinga well because he is one of us if he ascends to the AU that will be an honour to the country. Raila strongly came against the issue of abductions.

"The Raila Odinga that we have always known is a man who speaks for his people. There is no way he can be a good chairman of the AUC if his own country back home is not offering good governance," he added. 

Raila is set to battle Mahmoud Ali Youssouf of Djibouti and Madagascar’s Richard Randriamandrato in the race to succeed Moussa Faki as AUC chairperson.

To secure victory, one of the three candidates must obtain a two-thirds majority vote from the 55 member states, which amounts to 33 votes.

The election process takes place through a secret ballot during the AU Assembly, where heads of state and government cast their votes. If no candidate attains a two-thirds majority in the first round, additional rounds are conducted, with later stages potentially requiring only a simple majority.

So far, Raila has been on an intense campaign, garnering support from at least 21 countries, including Mauritius, Togo, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Senegal, Tanzania, and Uganda, among others.

Raila is looking towards securing victory in the African stage, having failed five times in Kenyan presidential elections, in what would be a reprieve in his long-standing career in politics.