After AUC poll, it's time to join hands and make Africa better

Early last year, Kenya embarked on an enduring journey to propel former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to the helm of the African Union Commission, the secretariat that runs the daily affairs of the African Union.

The government and the people, under President William Ruto’s leadership, threw their weight behind Mr Odinga, a charismatic leader fondly referred to as Baba and revered for his bold struggles for democracy. He also has a reputation of charming his way to the hearts and agendas of the world’s greatest leaders.

Fronting one of Kenya’s astute politicians and consummate Pan-Africanist assured Africa’s 1.5 billion people of Kenya’s commitment to shaping the continent’s future in a rapidly evolving regional and global geopolitics and geoeconomics.

The grueling contest ahead could be won or lost on substantive grounds or fallacious perceptions. So, we set up a formidable Secretariat that worked with government agencies, with oversight by the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs. Our strategic focus was to anticipate and map out the key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to Odinga’s journey to Addis.

The key strengths included Kenya’s reputation as a stable democracy and an active contributor to regional and global peace, security and humanitarianism. We are proudly an open nation with friendly citizens, committed to Africa’s growth and transformation. Kenya also remains committed to a non-partisan approach in its regional peace and security diplomacy, including in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Sudan, and Somalia.

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We have further gained significant global posture from Kenya’s involvement in the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti and other global peace missions. Our steadfast contributions to peacekeeping, including our historic service in the United Nations missions across the world, be it in Sierra Leone, East Timor or the Balkans, underscored our legacy as a nation that steps forward when humanity calls.

Raila’s brand as one of Africa’s shrewd leaders and statesmen was a great asset. He has long years of experience championing Africa’s agenda on fundamental issues including historical injustices, human rights, equity and inclusive development.

He served with distinction as AU’s High Representative for Infrastructure in 2018 to 2023, using this office to champion for massive investment in regional infrastructure and dismantling of cross border trade barriers, to free Africans to move and trade with each other across borders.

Odinga articulated his vision for a more united, inclusive and prosperous Africa, driven by Africa’s Agenda 2063. Kenyans passionately believed in his ability to lead AUC reforms that would deliver shared prosperity for all Africans.

We have championed other issues at the heart of Africa’s prosperity, including reform of the United Nations Security Council, aligning the global financial architecture with Africa’s development needs and restructuring climate finance to help strengthen Africa’s resilience to frequent droughts, flooding, wild fires and other climate induced shocks. 

While it was easy to sell our strengths, we were confronted with particular weaknesses or challenges that needed persuasive diplomacy from the highest levels. These included the geopolitics around the peculiar issues of each AU region (northern, southern, eastern and western) and the intricate diplomatic dynamics including how countries in one region interacted with their counterparts in other regions.

We constructively engaged with leaders across the continent, offering to the African people a formidable leader who was committed to Africa’s political and socioeconomic transformation. As the heads of state and government gathered in Addis for their annual Summit, we knew we had done sufficient ground work but last-minute canvassing was necessary to sustain the momentum.

We also rode high on the AU electoral rules and procedures that clearly handed the opportunity to the Eastern Africa region to produce the AUC chair. The other three regions had served their time since the AU succeeded the Organisation of African Unity 25 years ago.

Ruto canvassed his counterparts in the Eastern region to support Kenya’s bid. The intra-Eastern matter was who to choose among the three candidates on the ballot for the chair position: Raila, Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and Madagascar’s Richard Randriamandrato. We needed solid support from our neighbours and promised to be there for them when they needed us—at the AU, UN General Assembly or other regional and global forums.

Finally, we had to deal with threats to our candidate’s road to Addis, including reputational risks from digital media detractors. Using our foreign policy, we also diplomatically navigated the delicate geopolitical shifts evolving from the deteriorating conflicts in eastern DRC and Sudan that has caused an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in the region.

We further voiced our position on emerging global issues that could impact Africa’s future including the war in the Middle East, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and global power shifts in the United States of America and parts of Europe.

When the defining moment finally came, it was clear that Kenya and its candidate put up a good run for the AUC Chair position but was edged out after several rounds of voting. Kenya accepted the results with pride and humility, congratulating Youssouf, the new AUC Chair.

We equally applauded Raila for putting up a spirited show that demonstrated Kenya’s resolute mission to shape Africa’s future.

While we learnt our lessons, the most important agenda now is for all African countries to join hands in implementing the AUC institutional reforms. We stand united to give hope for a better tomorrow for Africa’s people, particularly those suffering from abject poverty and neglect due to internal conflicts and dysfunctional governance in their countries.

Our commitment to Pan-African ideals remains strong and our resolve to shape a better world is unshaken. Kenya believes in transformative leadership and remains steadfast in its pursuit of global stability and justice. We look forward, with particular pride, at what we have accomplished.