A list of countries supporting Raila's bid for AUC

Raila Odinga has faced election defeats five times, but he refuses to give up. Now, he is setting his sights on a new challenge—becoming the next Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC). In just a few days, he will therefore, find out if his latest political journey leads to victory.

To secure the position, Raila needs the support of at least two-thirds of the 55 African Union member states.

This means he must win 33 votes to take over from Chad’s Moussa Faki, who currently holds the seat. If successful, Raila will earn the prestigious role of leading the AU and driving change across the continent.

A Tough Race with Strong Competition

This year’s AUC election will take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Raila is not the only candidate in the race.

He will be competing against Djibouti’s Mohamoud Youssouf and Madagascar’s Richard Randriamandrato. The competition is therefore, tough, and each candidate is working hard to gain support.

For months, Raila has been traveling across Africa, meeting with leaders, and convincing them to back his bid.

His biggest supporter is none other than President William Ruto, his former political rival. Ruto has taken a leading role in Raila’s campaign, reaching out to other African heads of state to rally support.

Who Has Pledged Support?

So far, at least 19 African countries have openly declared their support for Raila. These include:

Kenya
Togo
Gambia
Senegal
Guinea Bissau
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Equatorial Guinea
Democratic Republic of Congo
Malawi
Tanzania
Uganda
Seychelles
Mauritius
Rwanda
Burundi
Algeria
South Sudan
Eritrea

However, Raila’s campaign team believes the number is even higher. According to Elkanah Odembo, the chair of Raila’s campaign, Kenya has already secured support from at least 28 nations.

Despite this, he acknowledges that more work is needed to convince other nations even as the election day is around the corner

“We still have a long way to go, especially because we are determined to win in the first round,” Odembo told The Standard.

The Challenge of AU Elections

Winning the AUC seat will not be easy. The election process follows strict rules, including secret ballot voting.

If no candidate secures two-thirds of the votes in the first round, additional rounds of voting will take place until a winner emerges.

Kenya has faced disappointment in this election before. In the last AUC vote, Kenya’s candidate, Amina Mohamed, lost to Moussa Faki after seven rounds of voting.

Some East African nations, including Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti, and Tanzania, did not support Kenya at that time. This history raises concerns about whether Raila can count on regional allies this time around.

Geopolitical Factors at Play

Raila’s chances could be affected by ongoing political tensions in Africa. One major issue is the crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where security forces are battling militant groups, including M23 rebels.

Since President Ruto is the current chair of the East African Community (EAC), his handling of the DRC conflict could influence Raila’s bid.

Therefore, if Ruto successfully helps restore peace in the DRC, it could boost Raila’s campaign. However, if the situation worsens, it may weaken Raila’s support.

The complex political, economic, and historical factors surrounding the conflict make this an unpredictable situation.

A Defining Moment for Raila Odinga

For Raila, this election is more than just another political contest—it is a chance to shape Africa’s future. After years of fighting for leadership in Kenya, he is now looking beyond national politics to a continental stage.

As the election date approaches, all eyes will be on Addis Ababa. Will Raila finally achieve victory after years of setbacks? Or will history repeat itself? In just a few days, Africa will have the answer.

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