Opposition leader Raila Odinga’s failed bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson seat was undermined by President William Ruto’s flawed foreign policy, according to Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna.
Speaking during a Tuesday interview with Citizen TV, Sifuna asserted that Odinga was the most qualified candidate for the continental role but was let down by Kenya’s diplomatic strategy under President Ruto.
“I have said that we had a stellar candidate for the position of AU Chair, but he was messed up by William Ruto’s fumbling of Kenya’s foreign policy. The vote was a reflection of the thinking of African heads of state about William Ruto. That has been my position, and it will never change,” Sifuna said.
Odinga’s AUC campaign ended in disappointment on February 15, 2025, during the decisive vote held in Addis Ababa. After six rounds of voting, he was eliminated, leaving Djibouti’s former Foreign Minister, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, as the sole candidate in the seventh round where he secured the mandatory 33 votes to clinch the chair.
The voting breakdown revealed that Odinga started strong with 20 votes in the first round and peaked at 22 in the second round. However, momentum shifted as Youssouf overtook him in the third round with 23 votes. The gap widened steadily until the sixth round, where Odinga managed 22 votes to Youssouf’s 26, prompting his elimination.
A total of 49 African Union member states participated in the election. Six states—suspended following military coups—did not take part.
Sifuna maintains that despite Odinga’s experience and qualifications, the campaign was hampered by poor diplomatic groundwork and waning confidence in Kenya’s international leadership.
The ODM Secretary-General further stated that Kenya’s declining diplomatic image under Ruto may have influenced how African leaders cast their votes. “This wasn’t about Baba [Odinga]. It was about Kenya’s reputation,” he added.
The AUC chairperson serves a renewable four-year term and is elected from one of Africa’s five regions on a rotational basis. This cycle belonged to Eastern Africa, where Kenya, Djibouti, and Madagascar fielded candidates.
President Ruto, reacting to Odinga’s loss, expressed pride in his former opponent. “Baba made me very proud. He was the best candidate we could have put forward,” Ruto stated shortly after the election, praising Odinga’s work ethic during the campaign.
Despite the defeat, Odinga’s candidacy was widely viewed as a unifying gesture and a test of Kenya’s ability to rally continental support. However, the post-election analysis now shifts focus to Kenya’s foreign policy machinery and the lessons learned from this high-stakes diplomatic contest.
