Raila Loses AUC Chair Race
The former leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, Raila Odinga, on Saturday lost the battle to be the chairperson of the African Union Commission in a fiercely contested election in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Djibouti, won the election after receiving the necessary 33 votes in the seventh round of voting, which he ran in by himself.
Raila had lost against Youssof in the sixth and fifth rounds and had been dropped in the sixth.
Youssouf received 18, Randriamandrato received 10, and Raila received 20 votes in the first round of the election. One country did not participate.
Since a contender needs to receive 33 votes to secure the seat, Raila was unable to be proclaimed the victor.
In the second round, Youssouf received 19, Randriamandrato received 7, and Raila received 22 votes.
With 23 votes, Youssouf led the third round, followed by Raila with 20 and Randriamandrato with 5. One vote was abstained.
Raila and Youssouf faced off after Randriamandrato was dropped in the fourth round, preventing him from continuing.
In the fourth round, Youssouf maintained his lead with 25 votes, while Raila came in second with 21 votes. One vote was abstained, and two votes were spoiled.
In the fifth round, the same pattern persisted.
In the sixth round, Youssouf got 26 votes, Raila 22, and one nation abstained from voting.
At this point, Raila was dropped, and Yousouf proceeded alone to the seventh round, where he got the requisite 33 votes.
The election saw 49 member states participate, with six other countries suspended.
Tags: Raila Odinga William Ruto AUC Election Mahamoud Ali Youssouf Moussa Faki Mahamat
