In a surprising turn of events, Djibouti’s Mahamoud Ali Youssouf has been elected Chairperson of the African Union Commission after five rounds of voting, defeating Kenya’s Raila Odinga in the fourth round.
Youssouf succeeds Chad’s Moussa Faki Mahamat, who served two four-year terms.
Despite being widely regarded as the frontrunner, Odinga’s bid faltered, partly due to his extended focus on the history of Pan-Africanism and African solidarity during his speech. With only five minutes allocated, he was cut off before outlining his vision.
In contrast, Youssouf delivered a more concise and compelling presentation, which resonated with voters. Odinga initially led in the first round but lost ground as voting progressed, even after Madagascar’s candidate was eliminated.