Kenya’s former Prime Minister Raila Odinga bid the African Union Commission chairmanship has somewhat given the East African nation the glue that has been lacking for more than two decades.

Raila, a change-maker that helped transformer Kenya from a country ruled by one party that was not accountable to the citizenry, to political pluralism with accompanying freedoms, has ignited a sense of oneness in a country that perennially plagued by ethnic and regional tensions.

Given the sense of oneness – even if transient – has stocked calls for the government to accommodate the veteran politician. The latest appeal to President William Ruto to on-board Raila was made by Nyeri Town lawmaker Duncan Mathenge, who says the former premier should be accommodated in government.

The MP argues that Raila’s run for the coveted continental position was a clear testament that he remains a valuable asset to the country and one who should never be wished away. Mathenge similarly avers that Kenya’s unsuccessful bid for the AUC seat also helped unite the country behind a common cause despite the differing political affiliations.

“The best benefit we can accrue from Raila is to analyse where we are today as a country and see how better he can contribute to the welfare of the country rather than keeping him in abeyance and waiting for 2027,” Mathenge told the Citizen TV breakfast show on Tuesday.

Raila was among two other candidates who had presented their names for consideration for the AUC chairperson’s post. The other two were Madagascar’s former Foreign Minister Richard James Randriamandrato and his Djibouti counterpart Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.

Youssouf eventually went ahead to clinch the seat with 33 votes after Raila dropped out in the sixth round with 22 votes.

Mathenge, however, explains that Kenya can still rise up from the humiliation by reviving the 2002 National Rainbow Coalition (Narc) euphoria that brought political heavyweights from across the country together and ended KANUs 24-year rule.

“The best broad-based government was when Kibaki took over power from Moi after forming the Narc government with leaders like Raila, Kijana Wamalwa, Charity Ngilu and others from the coast region. Theirs was a government that had the face of the entire country. We can similarly have an executive that has the face of the country,” he suggests.

Meanwhile a section of Nyeri residents have expressed mixed opinions following Raila’s loss in Addis Ababa.

They observe that while the results were disappointing to most Kenyans, the loss could be a blessing in disguise for the opposition leader who has straddled the local political landscape for more than four decades.

To them, it’s time for the former premier to come back to the country and help in safeguarding the very tenets of freedom he has been fighting for all his life.

“Raila has been quite instrumental in fighting for the rights of Kenyans during his tenure as an opposition leader. This is the time that the country needs him most as almost everything else including the economy is doing quite badly,” pointed out Joseph Wachira, a local businessman.

For others like Mwangi Wambugu, Raila’s exit from international limelight has left many wondering about his next possible move.

Wambugu says many supporters of the veteran politician are eagerly waiting for his next big announcement about to his future political move including whether he will be incorporated into the current Kenya Kwanza government.

Mwangi Wambugu, a resident of Nyeri town, emphasized that Raila should collaborate with other Kenyan leaders in order to champion the rights of citizens.

“Raila should now join forces with other leaders to champion for the rights of every Kenyan. We need all hands-on deck for the sake of this great country. Raila should join forces with other leaders instead of going alone. Unity is essential if we want to effectively advocate for the rights and needs of our people,” he said.

• A Tell / KNA report / By Samuel Maina/Geoffrey Chaura