On Tuesday, Azimio leader Raila Odinga met with German Ambassador Sebastian Groth to discuss various topics, including politics, Raila’s Pan-African vision, and his educational experiences in Germany.
Ambassador Groth expressed his admiration for Raila’s proficiency in German, noting, “I was very impressed by his German language skills; I spoke German with Baba.”
Raila Odinga studied at the Herder Institute in Leipzig from 1963 to 1964, shortly after completing high school at Maranda in 1962. His biography also highlights that he earned an MSc in Mechanical Engineering in Germany.
The Herder Institute, part of the University of Leipzig’s philological faculty in East Germany, provided language training to foreign students. Following his time there, Raila received a scholarship in 1965 to study at the Technical College of Magdeburg, now part of Otto Von Guericke University Magdeburg.
In February 2024, Raila visited his former schools shortly after announcing his candidacy for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson. His candidacy, submitted on July 29 in Addis Ababa by the State Department for Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei and Raila’s team, is under consideration as the AUC sets August 6 as the deadline for submissions.
The government supports Raila’s candidacy, highlighting his Pan-African credentials, extensive networks across Africa, and proven leadership capabilities. They emphasize that Raila’s exceptional career and vision make him an ideal candidate to lead the AUC and drive Africa’s transformation and Agenda 2063.
The State Department also pointed out Raila’s track record in addressing key challenges such as African integration, infrastructure development, economic transformation, financial independence, gender equity, agricultural transformation, climate action, peace and security, and youth empowerment.
