Kenya’s Former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga Eliminated From African Union Commission Chair

By Lisbeth Micheni, Kenya

Kenyan politician and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, has been knocked out of the race for the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson position, ending his aspirations to lead the continental body.

In the elections held on Saturday, Odinga was eliminated in the sixth round of voting after failing to secure enough support to advance.

Mahmoud Ali Youssouf from Djibouti emerged victorious in the seventh round, securing 33 votes to become the next AUC Chairperson.

Richard Randriamandrato of Madagascar was the first to exit the contest after receiving the lowest number of votes.

Odinga, who had been backed by President William Ruto, initially appeared to be in a strong position, with his campaign team claiming support from at least 21 nations.

He gained early momentum in the first few rounds but gradually lost ground as the voting progressed.

In the third round, Odinga secured 20 votes, behind Youssouf’s 23, while Randriamandrato dropped out with five votes.

By the fourth round, Youssouf increased his lead to 25 votes, while Odinga had 21. A similar pattern followed in the fifth round, with Youssouf earning 26 votes and Odinga maintaining 21.

The sixth round proved decisive, as Odinga managed to increase his tally to 22 votes, but it was not enough to surpass Youssouf’s 26, leading to his elimination.

Under AUC election rules, when no candidate secures the required majority, the lowest-ranking contender is removed, and voting continues until a winner emerges.

This marks the second time Kenya has lost its bid to lead the AU.

In 2017, Amina Mohamed was unsuccessful in her attempt to secure the top seat, losing to Moussa Faki after multiple rounds of voting.