Saboti Member of Parliament Caleb Amisi has criticized Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director General Noordin Haji for what he claims was their failure to provide accurate intelligence regarding Raila Odinga’s chances in the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson race. Amisi has demanded their resignations, arguing that their miscalculations subjected Odinga to an unnecessary and undeserved loss.
Odinga, the former Kenyan Prime Minister, was eliminated in the seventh and final round of voting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Saturday. He initially led the race, securing 20 votes in the first round against Djibouti’s Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, who garnered 18 votes, while Madagascar’s Richard Randriamandrato received 10. Odinga extended his lead in the second round, reaching 22 votes to Mahamoud’s 19.
However, the momentum shifted in the third round, with Mahamoud surpassing Odinga by securing 23 votes to Raila’s 20. The Djiboutian candidate continued to extend his lead in subsequent rounds, eventually reaching the two-thirds threshold required for victory in the seventh round, leaving Odinga out of contention.
MP Amisi took to social media platform X to express his dissatisfaction, stating that the NIS failed in its primary duty to provide strategic intelligence that could have informed Kenya’s diplomatic approach. He blamed Haji and Mudavadi for allegedly misleading Odinga and the country into believing that his victory was assured, only for him to face unexpected opposition and a strategic shift in voting patterns.
“The purpose of NIS is to provide intelligence useful in safeguarding our country’s interests. Noordin Haji failed miserably in this AUC campaign. By now, Musalia and Haji should have resigned for lying and subjecting Baba to a loss that he doesn’t deserve,” Amisi posted on X.
Despite the disappointment, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and other political leaders have lauded Odinga’s efforts, commending his resilience and the support he received from President William Ruto’s administration. Kindiki emphasized that Kenya’s united front in backing Odinga was a testament to the country’s diplomatic ambition and its commitment to regional leadership.
While the loss is a setback for Odinga, analysts argue that it underscores the complexities of African diplomatic politics and the necessity for strategic intelligence and alliances in such high-stakes elections. Whether the calls for resignations will gain traction remains to be seen, but the debate over Kenya’s diplomatic strategy and intelligence preparedness continues.
