The PS was responding, and disagreeing, with technocrat-turned-politician Mukhisa Kituyi, who earlier claimed that Raila could be staring at a slim chance of clinching the top African post, succeeding Moussa Faki.
Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei has clarified that linguistic and religious affiliations are not dynamics that will be at play in the upcoming African Union Commission (AUC) elections.
In a short post on X on Monday, February 10, the PS instead affirmed that member states take into consideration strategic interests rather than cultural ties in terms of determining their voting decisions.
“Linguistic and religious affinities are not controlling factors in elections at the multilateral level and will have limited bearing in this AUC elections. Countries vote rationally based on interest,” Sing’oei indicated.
The PS was responding, and disagreeing, with technocrat-turned-politician Mukhisa Kituyi, who earlier claimed that Raila could be staring at a slim chance of clinching the top African post, succeeding Moussa Faki.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei. /FILE
Kituyi stated that past voting trends would benefit Odinga’s opponents due to the influence of voting blocs. He suggested that while Odinga has aggressively campaigned, effective campaigning alone does not ensure victory.
He went on to assert that French-speaking nations tend to vote as a unified bloc, drawing from his experience as the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
“Normally it is extremely difficult for the bloc to vote for a non-francophone speaker if there is a French speaker among the candidates,” Kituyi stated during an interview on NTV‘s Fixing The Nation.
He further stated that Odinga might be at a disadvantage since Djibouti’s Mohamoud Youssouf, also vying for the position, is a French-speaking candidate, likely securing the bloc’s support.
Kituyi also pointed out that President William Ruto’s decision to back Israel during the Gaza invasion could negatively impact Odinga’s chances, adding that Muslim-majority nations, which make up a significant portion of African states, might choose to vote for another candidate. “That means that Ruto does not become an asset. The main alternative to Raila is a Muslim who speaks French,” he opined.
Kituyi further noted that Odinga cannot count on guaranteed support from the Anglophone bloc, as there is division over Madagascar’s Richard Randriamandrato’s candidacy.
Other than Randriamandrato, Odinga will be up against Djibouti’s Foreign Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf in the race for the AUC chairmanship. To secure victory, one of the three candidates must obtain a two-thirds majority vote from the 55 member states, which amounts to 33 votes.
The election process takes place through a secret ballot during the AU Assembly, where heads of state and government cast their votes. If no candidate attains a two-thirds majority in the first round, additional rounds are conducted, with later stages potentially requiring only a simple majority.
So far, Raila has been on an intense campaign, garnering support from at least 21 countries, including Mauritius, Togo, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Senegal, Tanzania, and Uganda, among others.
The African Union Commission elections will proceed as follows: The Executive Council will elect and appoint the Commissioners during their session on February 12-13, 2025. The Assembly of Heads of State and Government will follow and elect and appoint the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson during their session on February 15-16, 2025.
President William Ruto and Raila Odinga during the launch of Raila’s campaign for the AUC seat on August 27, 2024. /PCS