London, UK – Kenya’s opposition leader and former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga has indicated his support for the recognition of Somaliland.
Speaking at the British think tank, Chatham House, on Saturday, July 30, 2016, on The Importance of Democracy in Africa, Odinga said he personally acknowledged the call for the recognition of Somaliland as an independent country.
“I am myself a strong supporter or recognition of Somaliland, and I’ve said so without fear or contradiction. I’ve been to Somaliland, and I was one of the first leaders to go to Somaliland when my friend Mohamed Haghi Ibrahim Egal was still alive. I saw what they had done at that time, and I know the history of that union between Somaliland and the South [Somalia]. I think there is a very strong case for the recognition of Somaliland as an independent state,” said Odinga.
Raila Amolo Odinga is a Kenyan politician who served as the Prime Minister of Kenya from 2008 to 2013. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Langata Constituency from 1992 to 2013 and has been the Leader of the Opposition in Kenya since 2013. He is the leader of Azimio la Umoja–One Kenya Coalition Party.
Odinga has run for president of Kenya five times, with none of his attempts being successful. Each time, Odinga has alleged electoral fraud.
In 1997, he finished third as the candidate of the National Development Party (NDP). In 2007, he ran again for the presidency under the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and lost to Mwai Kibaki. In 2013, 2017, and 2022, Odinga was the runner-up as a candidate for the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD), the National Super Alliance (NASA), and Azimio la Umoja, respectively.
After his loss, he filed a petition against President-elect William Ruto at the Supreme Court of Kenya. The court decided against him, and Odinga pledged to respect its ruling. In February 2024, he announced his candidacy for the position of African Union Commission Chairperson.
Odinga is one of the most prominent figures who has fully endorsed “Independent Somaliland.” He has been spearheading calls for Somaliland to be recognized as a sovereign state, and he is an important ally in Somaliland’s struggle for independence.
Source: The Chatham House
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