Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has said Kenya remains a proud nation despite having lost in the African Union Commission chairperson election held in Addis Ababa on Saturday.
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who was Kenya's candidate, lost to Djibouti's counterpart Mahmoud Ali Youssouf in a hotly contested election that went up to the seventh round.
Raila, who led in the first and second rounds trailed Youssouf in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth rounds leading to his elimination ahead of the 7th round which saw the Djiboutian candidate contest alone.
It was during the seventh round that Youssouf garnered the requisite 33 votes to clinch the seat.
Kindiki, in his message to the country following the loss, said Kenya had given its best in the campaign even as he lauded those who stood with Raila.
"President William Ruto, our candidate Raila Odinga, and his campaign team gave their best. Unfortunately, we have lost. We remain a proud nation that we came so close. Today was not our day, our day will come. Thanks to all the friends of Kenya who stood with us when it mattered," Kindiki said.
The DP defended Raila's credentials in the polls saying he was Kenya's best in the election.
He maintained that Raila remains the strongest candidate ever to have been presented by the Kenyan government in the AUC polls adding that results serve as an opportunity on what to do better in future.
"For the record, Kenya has never before fronted such a qualified, decorated and ideologically anchored candidate for an international job. Our loss despite such a superior candidate with a clear agenda for the continent and after such an energetic campaign requires that we figure out what else to get right in future bids," Kindiki said.
