President William Ruto has secured Zimbabwe’s support for Raila Odinga’s bid for the African Union Commission chairmanship.

Kenya has presented its candidature for AUC Chairperson for 2025 – 2028.

This comes in the wake of a unanimous decision by the African Union Executive Council, on 15th March 2024, that the Eastern Africa region submit candidates for the position.

President Ruto said Kenya candidature is informed by the role that the country plays in enhancing the Pan–African Agenda.

“I am assured that Kenya and Zimbabwe will persist in conferring and backing each other on multitude issues of bilateral, regional and continental significance alongside the African Union Agenda 2063,” said President Ruto.

President Ruto made the remarks at the Bulawayo State House, Zimbabwe, on Saturday, during bilateral talks with his counterpart Emmerson Mnangagwa.

During the bilateral meeting, Kenya and Zimbabwe signed nine MoUs in the fields of transport, infrastructure, health, education, defense, trade and investments among other areas.

President Mnagangwa emphasized on the need for investors to exploit existing opportunities in the two countries.

Meanwhile, Kenya and Zimbabwe will leverage on their rich shared history, socio-cultural, political and economic ties as well as abundant natural resources for the mutual benefit of their citizens.

President Ruto said the two countries have a deep understanding which underpins our mutual support over the years in diverse arenas.

“Based on this, I wish to declare Kenya’s unreserved support for Zimbabwe’s readmission to the Commonwealth, and for the African Union’s call for the immediate lifting of all illegal sanctions against the Republic of Zimbabwe,” said President Ruto.

Kenya’s commitment to the principle of sovereign equality of nations and states, and a rule-based multilateral system makes no room for the contemplation or imposition of unilateral coercive measures.