Kenya has suffered a significant diplomatic setback after former Prime Minister Raila Odinga was eliminated from the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson race in the first round of voting. The elections, held on Saturday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, saw Djibouti’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf emerge victorious with 26 votes against Raila’s 21 after seven rounds of balloting.
Raila faced stiff competition from Youssouf and Madagascar’s former Foreign Affairs Minister Richard Randriamandrato. The election process saw Randriamandrato exit the race earlier after securing only five votes in the third round. Youssouf ultimately surpassed the required threshold, securing a win for Djibouti.
The highly anticipated election featured participation from 49 member states, with six countries suspended due to military rule. According to AU election rules, a candidate must garner a two-thirds majority of the votes cast to be declared the winner. The chairperson position is rotational among Africa’s five regions, and this time, the Eastern region presented a candidate while the Northern region fielded a deputy chairperson.
The African Union (AU) explained that voting is conducted up to three times. If no candidate secures a two-thirds majority by the third ballot, the process moves to the two candidates with the highest number of votes, eliminating the one with fewer votes. In cases where only two candidates are in the running from the start, and neither reaches the required threshold after three rounds, the candidate with fewer votes is withdrawn, allowing the remaining contestant to proceed to the next stage.
Should the final candidate fail to secure the two-thirds majority, the AU chairperson is mandated to suspend the election. With Youssouf’s win, Djibouti is now set to lead the AU Commission, bringing an end to Kenya’s bid for the top seat.
Raila’s elimination marks a setback for Kenya’s diplomatic influence within the AU. His bid had been backed by President William Ruto, and the loss could be seen as a diplomatic blow to Kenya’s standing in continental affairs. Kenya will now have to regroup and strategize for future leadership roles within the AU and other international bodies.
As Youssouf prepares to take over the commission’s leadership, Kenya’s focus may shift toward strengthening its engagement in other areas within the AU framework. Meanwhile, Raila’s next political move remains uncertain, with speculation on whether he will continue pursuing international roles or shift focus back to domestic politics.
