Patrick Lumumba has criticized Kenya’s diplomatic approach in Raila Odinga’s failed bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson seat. Speaking on Spice FM on Monday, February 17, Lumumba said Raila’s chances of winning were minimal from the start due to a poorly managed and ineffective campaign.
He blamed the failure on bad diplomacy, weak strategy, and miscalculations by those handling Raila’s campaign. Lumumba pointed out that Raila’s team mistakenly believed that meetings with African heads of state translated into guaranteed support.
However, these meetings were mostly diplomatic courtesies rather than commitments. He revealed that some leaders Raila’s team thought were allies actually did not vote for him.
He also criticized the messaging of the campaign, saying it presented Raila as if he was running to be the “president of presidents,” which created unnecessary friction with some African leaders.
According to Lumumba, the AUC chair is more of a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) role rather than a leadership position over heads of state. The way Raila’s campaign was framed may have alienated potential supporters.
The lawyer also pointed out errors in President William Ruto’s foreign policy approach, citing the handling of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) situation. He questioned why Ruto engaged directly with French President Emmanuel Macron instead of consulting African leaders like South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa.
He argued that such diplomatic missteps weaken Kenya’s influence in African affairs. Lumumba noted that this was not the first time Kenya had mishandled an AUC campaign, recalling a similar failure when Amina Mohamed lost to Moussa Faki years ago.
Following Raila’s loss, Lumumba called for immediate action, urging Ruto to sack those responsible for the campaign, including Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi. He blamed the ministry for failing to build strong diplomatic alliances that could have secured Raila’s victory.
According to Lumumba, Kenya’s foreign policy team failed to understand the dynamics of AUC elections, leading to an embarrassing loss to Djibouti’s Mahmoud Youssouf. He insisted that accountability was necessary, arguing that those who led a failed campaign should not continue handling Kenya’s diplomatic affairs.
Raila’s defeat in Addis Ababa has sparked debate about Kenya’s approach to international diplomacy. Many believe that the government overestimated its influence, leading to strategic errors that cost Raila the seat. The loss has also raised concerns about the competence of those in charge of Kenya’s foreign relations, with growing calls for a review of the country’s diplomatic strategy.
Add Comment