NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 16 — Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has praised President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for their determined effort in the race for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship.
The Deputy President commended the two leaders for giving their best, despite Odinga’s unsuccessful bid during the voting held in Addis Ababa on Saturday.
Prof. Kindiki said Kenya had fronted an outstanding candidate and expressed pride in the country’s efforts, despite losing to Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.
“We remain a proud nation that we came so close. Today was not our day, but our day will come. Thanks to all the friends of Kenya who stood with us when it mattered,” the Deputy President said.
He emphasized that Kenya’s bid was strong, adding that the country had never before nominated such a qualified, decorated, and ideologically grounded candidate for an international position.
Despite the setback, Prof. Kindiki urged reflection on the loss and called for lessons to be learned to improve future bids.
“Our loss—despite presenting such a superior candidate with a clear agenda for the continent and after such an energetic campaign—requires that we figure out what else to get right in future bids,” he added.
6th round elimination
Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf secured the AUC chairmanship after obtaining the required two-thirds majority with 33 votes in the seventh round of voting.
Odinga, who led in the early rounds, was eliminated in the sixth round after garnering 22 votes against Youssouf’s 26, with one abstention.
President Ruto, in his remarks following the loss, congratulated Youssouf and assured him of Kenya’s full support during his tenure.
He also thanked African leaders for considering Odinga’s vision for the African Union and emphasized that the election was about shaping Africa’s future, not individual or national interests.
This marked Kenya’s second unsuccessful attempt to secure the AUC chairmanship, following Amina Mohamed’s loss to Chad’s Moussa Faki in 2017.
Despite aggressive lobbying across Africa, President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration, the bid failed to secure unanimous backing from East African nations at the time.
Following Saturday’s vote, Odinga conceded defeat and congratulated Youssouf, calling for the strengthening of democratic values across the African continent.
