BETRAYAL & BACKSTABBING: Kalonzo Points Finger at Ruto for Raila’s AUC Humiliation
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has accused President William Ruto of playing a key role in Raila Odinga’s loss in the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship race.
Did Ruto Influence Raila’s Defeat?
Speaking on Friday, February 21, Kalonzo suggested that Ruto’s involvement in Raila’s campaign may have cost him the position. According to Kalonzo, the president saw Raila’s win as a chance to govern Kenya without opposition.
“I squarely blame William Samoei Ruto, who was Raila’s chief campaigner. He probably thought pushing Raila forward would make things easier for him. He didn’t realize it would backfire,” Kalonzo stated.
Kalonzo also linked Raila’s defeat to the Kenya Kwanza government’s handling of Gen Z protests, arguing that African leaders may have withheld their support due to the crackdown on demonstrators.
“Raila was Kenya’s candidate, but African leaders saw the same Kenyan flag waved by young protesters who were killed. They couldn’t separate Raila’s bid from the government’s actions,” he explained.
Did Gen Z Influence the Election Outcome?
Kalonzo claimed that Kenya’s Gen Z played a role in the election by mobilizing global support against Raila. He suggested that young activists successfully influenced African heads of state to back Djibouti’s candidate, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.
How Did Raila Lose the AUC Election?
Raila was defeated on Saturday, February 15, after Mahmoud won with 33 votes.
The election had 49 voting heads of state, with a candidate needing at least 33 votes (two-thirds) to win.
In the first round, Raila led with 20 votes, Mahmoud had 18, and Madagascar’s Richard Randramandriato got 10. Since no one met the threshold, voting continued.
By the second round, Raila had 22 votes, Mahmoud 19, and Randramandriato 7. The Madagascar candidate was eliminated, but Raila failed to secure a majority in subsequent rounds. By the sixth round, he was out of the race, allowing Mahmoud to win in the seventh round with 33 votes.
BETRAYAL & BACKSTABBING: Kalonzo Points Finger at Ruto for Raila’s AUC Humiliation
