Kenya’s Foreign Minister Amina Mohamed to vie for AU Commission leadership

Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Minister Amina Mohamed will be contesting for the seat of African Union Commission chair in January, Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced.

The elections which will be held in January were postponed in June in Rwanda when none of the candidates managed the two thirds majority needed to head the Union’s executive arm.

Mohamed whose 29 career in diplomatic circles has was until her appointment as Cabinet Secretary Kenya’s permanent representative and ambassador to Kenya’s UN Mission in Geneva.

“I see that Amina is doing well. We have nominated her to be the AU chairperson,” said Kenyatta in Nairobi Monday.

Other candidates for the race include Agapito Mba Mokuy of Equatorial Guinea, Abdoulaye Bathily of Senegal and Botswana’s Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi.

South African Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who had been at the commission’s helm since 2012 until June this year did not seek a re-election.

The list of candidates for the tightly contested race will be released October 14 this readiness in preparation for the January 2017 polls.

East African has not occupied the position of chair to the Commission before thus Mohamed could stand a chance for the position.

The AU Commission is made up of 9 portfolios namely: Peace and Security; Political Affairs; Trade and Industry; Infrastructure and Energy; Social Affairs; Rural Economy and Agriculture; Human Resources, Science and Technology; and Economic Affairs.