Kenneth Rotich HSC

Friends,

Understanding yesterday's election outcomes requires one to have a philosophical knowledge of how AUC came to be and the forces at play. Keen analysts have by now concluded that project has collapsed the same way collapsed. Sad. But true!

G8 Summit is in charge of AU. Fact. And now, France has earned another 8 years of micromanaging Africa's trade and its strategic interests in the continent.

OAU died 25 years ago when Paul Kagame - the then Champion for OAU Institutional Reforms - was compromised by France (on behalf of the G8) to reduce OAU to a Secretariat called . As if that was not enough, he lobbied for the annexation of the UN's to AU to become AU-NEPAD. Since the transition from OAU to AU, the G8 Summit has been in charge of Africa's .

NEPAD is the UN's UNEP within the ranks of AU. AU-NEPAD introduced Agenda 2063 - Africa's delayed industrialization in other words - and later on climate actions - Africa's de-industrialization campaign. The overarching objective of these two goals is to ensure that Africa is never industrialized. Instead, the Globalized North continues to loot raw materials for their industries and source of cheap labor and a market for their finished goods.

If you have read up to this point, you will agree with me that Africa lost to because Africa was united behind the need for , , and , principles that dominated Kenya's manifesto. These values scare the Globalized North to their bones and anyone who stands by them becomes their avowed enemy.

Djibouti's candidate did not canvass across Africa the way Kenya's candidate did and never spoke about his agenda for Africa if elected AUC Chairperson as Kenay's candidate did. This silence on agendas made Djibouti the G8's number one choice for the AUC Chairperson and they poured millions of dollars into the Swiss bank accounts of Africa's Heads of State who pledged their support for Djibouti.

Those of us who are faulting Kenya's foreign policy outlook on Africa's affairs have the right to their opinions. Still, looking at them from historical and ideological POVs one can't stop wondering if they'll ever appreciate the powerplay on the global social, economic, and political chessboard?

All African countries must revive and support the long walk to true freedom and independence. The happenings at the AU are a wake-up call to Africa that it's not yet uhuru. All African countries must revive and support the long walk to true freedom and independence.

African countries must look at and treat one another as equals, and pool their political and economic resources to radicalize the region around shared polity and commitment towards breaking away from the West's client statuses.

Congratulations President William Samoei Ruto. You did the best you could to shape Africa's liberation narrative and inspired the Pan-African spirit by supporting Kenya's candidature for the AUC Chairperson's seat. Your choice of Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga was no doubt the best. Kenya did not lose the race. Because victory is measured by one's vision, and not the number of votes garnered.

Mr. President William Samoei Ruto, I strongly recommend that you name Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga to the Panel of Africa's Eminent Personalities to ensure that he continues to propagate the correct attitudes towards Pan-Africanism within AU's infrastructure of African Peer Review Mechanism.

Hongera Kenya! 👏👏