This archive report was first published on 3 August 2019.
December 18, 2017, marked a significant day in the history of the African National Congress (ANC) as Cyril Ramaphosa was elected as its leader.
The Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga, the former Prime Minister of Kenya and NASA flagbearer, has congratulated Ramaphosa on his election, hailing it as a significant step towards renewed African democratization.
According to Odinga, Ramaphosa's background as a democratic liberationist, trade union leader, and high-level business executive, combined with his lifelong Pan Africanism, will give new energy to Africa's economic dynamism and restored democratic transformations.
Speaking on the occasion, Odinga emphasized the imperative of a renewed African democratization to build the continent economically, engender equitable growth, and contribute to the global movement for moral and ethical leadership.
“The news of our comrade Cyril Ramaphosa’s election as the leader of the African National Congress will thrill democrats in South Africa, across Africa and indeed throughout the world,” Odinga said in a statement.
“From this pivotal ANC position, and drawing on South Africa’s recently diminished but still vibrant global standing, he will restore the high respect that his nation as well as the continent enjoyed under the fabled leadership of Nelson Mandela in particular,” Odinga added.
As the leader of the ANC, Ramaphosa is expected to play a crucial role in shaping the future of South Africa and the African continent.
