By Patriot Corps
In a closely contested election, Djibouti’s Mahamoud Ali Youssouf emerged victorious, beating Kenya’s Raila Odinga to win the African Union Commission (AUC) Chair seat. The election was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and saw Mahamoud garner 33 votes in the seventh round, securing the required two-thirds majority
Raila, Kenya’s candidate for the AUC Chair position, won the first two rounds of voting but lost momentum in the subsequent rounds. In the first round, Raila secured 20 votes, while Mahamoud got 18 votes, and Richard Randriamandrato of Madagascar received 10 votes. One nation abstained from voting in the first round.
The second round saw Raila secure 22 votes, Mahamoud get 19 votes, and Randriamandrato receive 7 votes. One nation abstained from voting in the second round as well. However, Raila’s lead was short-lived, as Mahamoud gained momentum in the subsequent rounds.
In the third round, Mahamoud rose to first place with 23 votes, while Raila received 20 votes, and Randriamandrato got 5 votes. Randriamandrato was eliminated from the election after the third round, leaving Raila and Mahamoud to compete head-to-head.
Mahamoud maintained his lead in the fourth and fifth rounds, securing 25 and 26 votes, respectively. Raila trailed behind with 21 votes in both rounds. The sixth round saw Mahamoud garner 26 votes, while Raila received 22 votes.
With Mahamoud as the only candidate remaining, the seventh round was a formality. He secured 33 votes, meeting the required two-thirds majority, and was declared the winner.
Mahamoud’s victory marks a significant milestone in his career, and he is now set to replace the outgoing Moussa Faki of Chad, who has held the position for eight years.
