Constitutional lawyer and political commentator, Professor Patrick Lumumba, has sharply criticized Raila Odinga’s campaign for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson position, attributing his loss to strategic missteps and poor diplomatic execution. Lumumba, speaking on Spice FM, expressed that Raila’s bid for the position was disorganized and lacked the finesse required for such a high-stakes diplomatic contest.
Lumumba’s critique centers on the notion that Raila and his campaign team mistakenly interpreted the courtesy meetings granted by heads of state as a sign of genuine support. According to Lumumba, these meetings were often mere formalities, and in some instances, heads of state clarified that they were not backing Raila for the role. Lumumba remarked, “This was merely courtesy. I can tell you that one or two heads of state whom he believed were his supporters actually said, ‘No, we only accorded him courtesy.'”
Further, Lumumba highlighted significant flaws in the messaging and overall campaign strategy. He noted that Raila’s team marketed him as a potential “president of presidents,” a portrayal he deemed fundamentally mistaken, considering that the AUC chairperson is essentially the CEO of the Commission, not a political leader overseeing other heads of state. According to Lumumba, this approach created a perception of confrontational leadership, which may have worked against Raila’s favor.
The lawyer also pointed to Kenya’s broader diplomatic strategy, particularly under President William Ruto’s administration. Lumumba criticized Ruto’s handling of the crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly his decision to engage French President Emmanuel Macron directly on African matters, bypassing the continent’s regional leaders like South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa. “Who wants to engage with Macron on African matters?” Lumumba questioned, underscoring the need for a more nuanced and regionally inclusive approach to African diplomacy.
This criticism isn’t the first time Kenya’s foreign policy and diplomatic strategies have been questioned. Lumumba pointed out that Kenya had made similar errors in the past during Amina Mohamed’s campaign against Moussa Faki for the same position, reflecting a recurring pattern of diplomatic miscalculations.
Raila’s defeat on Saturday to Djibouti’s Foreign Minister, Mahmoud Youssouf, in Addis Ababa is seen by many as a result of these strategic and diplomatic flaws. With the loss, Kenya faces a moment of introspection regarding its approach to both regional and continental leadership roles. According to Lumumba, this is an opportunity for the country to reassess its foreign policy and diplomatic practices to avoid such missteps in the future.
