The 38th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union is underway in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The meeting commenced on Saturday morning with the AU anthem played, followed by remarks from various leaders.

The outgoing AU Commission chair Moussa Faki, The League of Arab States, State of Palestine, chairperson of AU and President of Mauritania Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, Ethiopia Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres are among those lined up to address the gathering.

In Kenya and indeed across the continent, the defining moment will be the election of the next AUC chairperson.

Ruto and Raila made their way to the African Union summit in the same vehicle on Saturday morning.

In a heartwarming reunion of former political rivals, Ruto is seen ushering Raila into a waiting vehicle.

The former Prime Minister boards the vehicle with President Ruto and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi joining him for the drive to the AU headquarters.

From spirited campaign, diplomatic blitz and camaraderie, the pair was an example of unity beyond political opinions and cut-throat competition in a continent where presidential elections is a matter of life and death.

President William Ruto is leaving nothing to chance in his quest to have Kenya’s candidate Raila Odinga become the next African Union Commission chairman.

Ruto who is in Addis Ababa had a busy day on February 14 in a last minute push to hand Raila victory.

Aware of the intense lobbying and negotiations that are going in in Ethiopia, Ruto was not left behind as he flexed his influence to win support for Odinga.

He held talks with several heads of states, selling Odinga’s candidature and racing against time to ensure that the former Prime Minister trounces his opponents.

With just a few hours to the decisive moment when the next AUC Chairperson will be elected via the ballot, Ruto met Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, President João Lourenço of Angola, Equitorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and Senegal’s Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

Raila is facing Djibouti’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, and Madagascar’s former Foreign Affairs Minister Richard Randriamandrato.