- Raila Odinga has been eliminated from the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson race.
- He was ousted in the sixth round of voting, despite initially leading in early rounds.
- Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf won in the seventh round with 33 votes.
- This marks Kenya’s second failed bid for the AUC leadership, after Amina Mohamed’s loss in 2017.
Raila’s AUC Bid Falls Short
The former Kenyan Prime Minister was eliminated from the AUC Chairperson contest on Saturday, February 15, in a tough election that saw him lose in the sixth round.
Despite securing 20 votes in the first round and maintaining a strong position through subsequent rounds, Raila was ultimately defeated, leaving Mahmoud Ali Youssouf of Djibouti to claim victory in the seventh round with 33 votes.
Raila’s elimination marks Kenya’s second failed attempt at clinching the influential continental seat, following Amina Mohamed’s loss in 2017.
Kenya’s Diplomatic Efforts and Setbacks
With backing from President William Ruto, Raila had engaged in an extensive diplomatic campaign across Africa, seeking to rally support for his bid. His team had expressed confidence in having at least 21 countries’ backing, but this support was not enough to secure victory.
Similar to Amina Mohamed’s 2017 defeat to Moussa Faki, Kenya once again struggled to gain full support from its East African Community (EAC) neighbors, including Tanzania, Uganda, and Burundi.
New AUC Chairperson: Mahmoud Ali Youssouf
The new AUC Chairperson, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, will serve a four-year term, replacing Moussa Faki, who has completed two terms since 2017.
The election underscores the intense regional and diplomatic rivalries at play in the AU, with Kenya’s continued challenges in securing key continental leadership positions.
