Former PS Macharia Kamau reveals last-minute blunder that cost Amina Mohamed AUC job and how Raila has avoided it

Kenya was close to clinching the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship in 2017 when former Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed took a stab at the continental role.

Former CS Amina was widely viewed as the favourite in the race but eventually lost to Chad’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Moussa Faki Mahamat after seven rounds of voting where the incumbent managed to get a two-thirds majority vote for a winner to be declared.

Speaking to a local media station on Friday, February 14, 2025, former Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Ambassador Macharia Kamau noted that Raila stands a chance to clinch the seat for avoiding mistakes which he noted cost Amina the job.

Last-minute blunder

According to Ambassador Macharia who served in former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration, the country was haunted by some of the statements and stances taken which were considered affront to regional politics.

Macharia pointed out that Kenya’s candidacy threatened countries from North and West Africa leading to a shift in loyalty. He however did not delve into the matter to give specifics.

“We did not succeed in those last two campaigns and we had an excellent candidate in Amina Mohamed, particularly in the AUC seat she was well positioned, even in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) because of her experience in Geneva where she had spent a lot of time on various portfolios,” Macharia said.

“For the AU, it is fair to say that there was a strategic mistake that was made in the very last days and weeks of that campaign which had to do with how we vocalised our intentions once we get into the job. This is nothing personal, it is just the way it turned out.”

“I think that trade out rather negative in our constituencies in North and West Africa and it came to haunt us on the day of the election. But I think we were the frontrunners until the very last days,” Macharia explained.

Lessons learnt

Nonetheless, the former PS opined that Raila Odinga stands a chance of winning the AUC chairmanship polls slated for Saturday, February 15, 2025.

Ambassador Macharia lauded Raila’s campaign structure and how carefully they drafted his vision, which he insisted was not overstepping.

He also praised Raila for his utterances which he insisted were well-measured and did not spark any diplomatic row with 49 member states set to take part in the poll.

“I think we have learnt those lessons and Raila Odinga has been more careful not to overstate his intentions on what he can do and what he cannot do once he is in power because everybody sees it from a different angle.”

“What we understood is that some of our local politics are shipped out into regional politics. But to be honest, I wish him well, Kenya needs to win because it is our turn,” Macharia insisted.

Raila will square it out with Djibouti’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Mahamoud Youssouf and former Madagascar Foreign Minister Richard Randriamandrato.