ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – This week, President William Ruto is expected to lead a high-powered government delegation to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to stand in solidarity with former prime minister Raila Odinga, who is vying for the African Union Commission chairmanship.
President Ruto’s delegation, which seeks to drum up support for Raila, Kenya’s candidate for the AUC Chairperson position, will include Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and at least 100 MPs and top government officials.
Y News understands that Raila needs the support of two-thirds of the 55 countries that will vote to clinch the coveted position.
What are the factors that will determine the AUC chairperson elections
The geopolitics, language, and religion of member states will determine who wins the elections slated for Saturday, February 15, 2025.
Raila will compete with Djibouti’s foreign minister, Mahmoud Youssouf, and Madagascar’s Richard Randriamandrato.
I arrived safely in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for the African Union (AU) Summit, a landmark event where Kenya has presented a candidate for AUC Chairperson. As we approach the final stretch, I will engage in the last-mile campaign for Rt. Hon. @RailaOdinga, rallying support from…
Ahead of the polls, Y News has keenly analysed how the entire election process of the AUC chairperson will be conducted.
How are the AUC chairperson elections conducted
The election process is divided into three rounds. The elections of the African Union Commission will be conducted as follows:
The Executive Council elects and appoints the Commissioners during their session on 12–13 February 2025.
The Assembly of Heads of State and Government elects and appoints the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson during their session on 15-16 February 2025.
In the election for the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, and Commissioners, voting continues until one (1) candidate obtains a two-thirds majority.
The voting process begins with all the candidates on the ballot. Voting is conducted three times, and if the third ballot remains inconclusive without any candidate garnering the two-thirds majority, the next ballot shall be restricted to the two (2) candidates who obtained the highest number of votes and the candidate with the most votes.
Where there are only two (2) candidates initially and neither candidate obtains the majority required after the third ballot, the candidate with fewer votes is withdrawn and the remaining candidate proceeds to the next round.
If the remaining candidate fails to obtain the two-thirds majority required in that round, the chairperson is required to suspend the election.
Kenya’s candidate for AUC Chairperson Raila Odinga has visited different countries for his campaigns. To clinch the seat, a candidate must secure 33 votes out of 49. #starinfographics
Where there is only one (1) candidate initially and he or she fails to obtain the two-thirds majority required after the third ballot, the current chairperson is required to suspend the election.
Why Raila Odinga and his two opponents want to be elected
Raila and his two opponents seek to be elected chairpersons of the 55-member state African Union. The winner will succeed the outgoing chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, who has served for two terms.
The upcoming elections for the new chairperson of the AUC will occur during the next annual summit of the AU heads of state and government.
In mid-December 2024, the three candidates participated in a two-hour debate in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
They all advocated for two permanent seats for African countries in the U.N. Security Council to effectively represent the continent with the youngest population.
Why do you think Raila Odinga deserves to be the next AUC Chairperson?
The African Union has several proposed reforms on its structure and leadership to achieve its purpose, and all candidates promised to implement the reforms if elected.
