Gachagua praises Odinga's brave fight after AUC defeat

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has praised Raila Odinga for his brave fight in the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship race, following his defeat to Djibouti’s Mahmoud Youssouf.

In a statement on his Facebook page, Gachagua acknowledged Odinga’s efforts.

“Raila Odinga, you put on a brave fight, showing energy, resilience and the indefatigable spirit of the Lion of Africa. You came in a credible second, holding the Kenyan flag high in a fiercely contested race. You did not lose; the majority had their way. The African and Kenyan spirit lives on.”

He also commended Odinga’s leadership, stating, “Africa needed you most, but God, in His wisdom, has determined that Kenya, your motherland, and indeed we, your brothers and sisters, have unfinished business with you.”

Shinyalu MP Fred Ikana also extended his congratulations.

“I take this opportunity to congratulate Baba Raila Odinga for a battle well fought. He was a great candidate, and Africa would have benefited immensely from his wealth of experience and knowledge. I also appreciate President William Ruto for supporting Baba wholeheartedly through the various stages of his bid,” he noted.  

“It’s my sincere hope that Baba shall reciprocate this kind gesture by supporting President Ruto's re-election in 2027.”
Odinga, who led in the early rounds, eventually lost after Youssouf secured 33 votes in the final round. He had needed a two-thirds majority to win but conceded defeat after failing to achieve the threshold.

"I 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," said Odinga.

“They said we must respect democracy and therefore, I concede defeat.”

“There can only be two outcomes when you go to a contest. You can win, or you can lose. I’m not bitter. I’m happy indeed, and I’m still available to offer other services to the continent in any other capacity,” he noted.

Odinga extended his best wishes to Youssouf and thanked his supporters.

“I want to wish my competitor Mahmoud Youssouf success in his undertaking. And I want to thank all those who voted for me,” noted Odinga.

The election, held in Addis Ababa on Saturday, February 15, saw Youssouf secure 33 votes in the final round, surpassing the two-thirds majority needed to win. 
He will replace outgoing AUC chair Moussa Faki of Chad.