The race for the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson is heating up, with the upcoming election set to happen during the 38th summit of the African Union (AU) between February 15 and February 16, 2025. This highly anticipated contest pits Kenya’s former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, against, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the Foreign Affairs Minister for Djibouti, and Richard Randriamandrato of Madagascar.
Both Odinga and Mahmoud Youssouf are leading contenders for the AUC Chairperson race, and each has garnered significant support from various African nations.
This election will decide who will take over from Moussa Faki Mahamat, whose second and final four-year term ends soon.
The successful candidate will hold a significant position in overseeing the operations of the pan-African organization.
As the election date draws closer, reports have surfaced claiming that Youssouf has stepped down from the race.
Posts online have hinted that Djibouti’s foreign minister may have withdrawn in favor of Raila Odinga, potentially consolidating regional support for the Kenyan candidate.
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Has Mahmoud Youssouf stepped down?
These claims have sparked a wave of speculation and confusion, especially given that the official AUC election is less than a month away.
A search by The Kenya Times has established that there has been no official statement from Mahmoud Youssouf, regarding any withdrawal from the race.
Djibouti’s government or the African Union have also not yet made any official statement regarding Mahmoud’s withdrawal from the AUC race despite the swirling rumors.
As of now, the Foreign Affairs Minister remains a candidate in the race. In one of his latest statements shared on January 23, he confirmed that he was still in the race.
“Rest assured dear friends and supporters, I am still in the race and doing well so far,” he said on X.
The Djibouti candidate broke his silence having gone mute since January 17 when he welcomed the ceasefire deal between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas over the Gaza war.
“The release of Israeli hostages and the Palestinian militants and political prisoners will pave the way to a peaceful negotiation between Palestinians and Israelis,” he noted through a statement on X.
“I believe in the virtue of dialogue, understanding and compromise.”
On matters related to the AUC race, Mahmoud had on January 16 said that the African business community expects more consistency in spearheading closer interactions between the public and private sector from the incoming commission.
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This came after the Djibouti’s Foreign Affairs Minister on January 14 maintained that his ambitions for the African continent stem from his conviction that its future is promising with its youth, human energies and various resources.
“I clearly hear the plea of African youth across the continent. I am aware of your expectations, and I will spare no effort once elected to be your flag bearer,” read another post shared on January 11.
Odinga ramps up campaigns
The reports about Mahmoud stepping down come as the AUC Chairperson candidates continue to actively campaign for the position, seeking support from various African countries.
Raila Odinga, known for his long-standing political career, has built relationships across the continent, while Mahamoud Youssouf, a seasoned diplomat, is a well-known figure in African foreign policy circles.
Last week, Odinga took his campaigns to Mozambique as he rallied southern African Countries.
The former Prime minister embarked on campaigns targeting Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries including South Africa, Lesotho Namibia, Botswana and Mozambique as he ramped up his AUC campaigns.
Raila also held talks with Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa as part of his campaigns targeting the crucial SADC block.
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