Raila: We must liberate ourselves from own fears

By Peter Ochieng

Azimio La Umoja One Kenya leader, Raila Odinga has challenged Africans to work hard in a bid to liberate ‘ourselves from our own fears.’

Speaking on Monday at the Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium, Mamboleo, Kisumu while officially opening the World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC), Odinga said Africans are living in fear of even trading amongst themselves.

“Half a century ago, our grandparents fought to liberate us from foreign rule. Today, we must fight to liberate ourselves from our own fears,” said Odinga.

“The fear that makes it so hard for Africa to trade with itself. The fear that makes it so hard for an African to visit another African country. The fear that makes it so hard to fly from Nairobi to Lagos. The fear that makes it impossible to travel across the continent by train.”

Odinga is a front runner for the next chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), with elections set for February 2024, to replace Chad’s Moussa Faki Mahamat, whose wheels of the second term are grinding towards a halt.

If elected to the position, the ODM party leader said his priority will be reorganising Africa in some sort of federation or union for unity.

“My core agenda should I get elected to that position is to work with our leaders to be deliberate and intentional in reorganising Africa in some sort of federation or union to blunt the national divisions, assuage the economic hunger and unleash the continent’s potential,” he said.

Festac’s opening ceremony was attended by among others, former Nigeria President Olusegon Obasanjo and Kisumu governor Anyang’ Nyong’o. Obasanjo, one of Africa’s eminent persons has endorsed Odinga’s AUC chairmanship bid.

Nyong’o on his part said Kisumu’s proximity to neighbouring East and Central African countries, the Port, an international Airport, a railway station and a robust Tourism circuit makes it one of the trailblazers in Africa ripe for investment.

“In 2022, we became the first intermediary city in Africa to host the Africities Summit successfully. More than 11,000 delegates were in this city for four days. The Africities Summit –a project of the UCLGA, opened floodgates of investments for Kisumu.”

Curtains of the week-long Festac festival will come down on Sunday, with celebration of African culture as expressed in food, music, stories, dances, business, fashion and sports taking centre stage.