Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has conceded defeat in the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship race, ending Kenya's high-stakes bid for the top continental seat. "I had offered myself as a candidate, and for the past few months, I have been running around the continent talking to leaders and seeking their votes.
Today, they have expressed themselves, and as it is now, we did not succeed.
They said we must respect democracy, and therefore, I concede defeat," Odinga said. Despite winning in the first two rounds of voting, Odinga ultimately lost to Djibouti's Mahmoud Youssouf after failing to secure the required two-thirds majority. Speaking in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Odinga reiterated that while the outcome was disappointing, he remains open to serving the continent in other capacities. "There can only be two outcomes when you go to a contest.
You can win, or you can lose.
