Examining Kenya's Failed Attempts at African Union Commission Leadership in 2017 and 2025
Amina Mohammed Raila Amollo Odinga Introduction The African Union (AU) is a body dedicated to fostering a united, thriving, and a harmonious Africa. Kenya has attempted the African Union Commission (AUC) leadership twice. This occured in 2017 and 2025 recently. Surprisingly, Kenya has faced two defeats in both elections. This has prompted a reassessment of factors contributing towards such defeats. 2017 Election: Amina Mohammed's Candidacy In 2017, Kenya's Foreign Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed was a favorite for African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson as a top diplomat. She lost the competition to Chad's Moussa Faki Mahamat due to intense lobbying. A number of factors played towards this result. Campaign Strategy Breakdowns Former Ambassador Macharia Kamau said that Kenya's campaign anticipated strategy breakdowns. The breakdowns included premature exposure of plans, with opponents being able to act against them with effectiveness. Geopoli...