Kisumu residents erect giant screen under Kondele flyover to follow AUC elections
Residents of Kisumu are keenly following the African Union Commission (AUC) elections in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on a giant screen that has been erected under the Kondele flyover.
The screen was mounted on Saturday, February 15, 2025, to broadcast live the AUC election process, in which former Prime Minister Raila Odinga is contesting for the chairmanship as Kenya’s candidate.
The residents have expressed confidence that Raila will clinch the AUC chairmanship seat and are eagerly waiting for the voting and subsequent announcement of the results.
“Niko na hakika Raila raundi hii anaenda kushinda. Mbuzi tumeweka karibu 500, kuku karibu 100 hatuchinji saa hii, tunangoja masaa atangazwe,” one of the residents who identified himself as Owino said in a vox pop with one of the local TV stations.
A similar watch party is being held in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD), along the Aga Khan Walk.
AUC programme
The AU programme for the 38th ordinary session began at 10:30 am East African Time at the Nelson Mandela Hall in Addis Ababa with an opening ceremony followed by a speech from the outgoing AUC chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat.
The head of government of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed, welcomed the heads of state as the host.
The session then listened to the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for five minutes before another speech of the secretary-general of the Arab League of States.
The session also witnessed a speech by the President of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, concerning the security situation in his country and the raging war with Israel, which has led to a humanitarian crisis.
This was followed by an opening statement by the current African Union chairperson, Mohamed Ahmed Ould Ghazouani, who is also the president of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.
After the statements, there was an announcement of the bureau of the Assembly of the African Union for the year 2025 and the chairperson of the African Union for the year 2025.
Handing over ceremony
This was followed by a short handing over ceremony from Mauritania’s president, Mohamed Ahmed Ould Ghazouani, to Angola’s president, João Lourenço, who has been elected the AU chairperson for 2025.
The session then launched the theme for the 38th African Union summit for 2025, which is ‘Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations’.
AUC Chairmanship vote
After this launch, the session took a break for coffee and other refreshments and is expected to resume with a closed session in which the leadership of the African Union Commission (AUC), including the six commissioners, will be determined.
After the conclusion of the closed sessions, the AU summit will welcome the newly elected Heads of State, including Joseph Nyumah Boakai, President of the Republic of Liberia; Bassirou Diomaye Faye, President of the Republic of Senegal; Duma Gideon Boko, President of the Republic of Botswana; and Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius.
