As Friday evening approached, Kenya faced uncertainty over its bid for Africa's top post, weighed down by a series of high-stakes diplomatic missteps. On Saturday, the election day, Djibouti's Mahmoud Ali Youssouf won the seat in a closely contested vote in Addis Ababa, leaving Kenya to grapple with what went wrong. The loss has raised questions about Kenya's strategy.
Analysts point to geopolitical dynamics and foreign policy inconsistencies, as noted by Frankline Mukwanja, Executive Director of the Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD). Analysts pointed to mistakes that may have cost former Prime Minister Odinga the position. "I wasn't surprised by Odinga's loss," said Mukwanja. "I am of the view he had a very slim chance to emerge victorious, and this is informed by the geopolitical dynamics as well as historical precedents.
There is a question as to whether the diplomatic actions of Kenya in the most recent past contributed to his failure." "Let me take you back to October-November 2023, at the height of the Israel-Hamas war.
It seemed Kenya's position on the two-state solution was inconsistent with what others think and act.
