After seven rounds of voting, Chadian Moussa Faki Mahamat was elected the chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), beating Kenya's Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Ambassador Amina Mohammed.
The 56-years-old Chad Foreign Affairs Minister won after garnering 38 votes, against Amina's 27, at the 28th African Union Summit, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
He will be deputised by Thomas Kwesi Quartey of Ghana.
Amina, 55, had received massive support from her Kenyan diplomats who had mobilised several cuntries to vote her in, with Kenya spending close to Sh350 million to ensure her victory.
"Kenya congratulates him on a race well won. We pledge to work with him to defend the pan-African agenda of integration for Africa, as well as democracy, sovereignty and prosperity for all of its people,'' said State House Spokesperson and Communications Secretary, Manoah Esipisu, Monday.
He said Amina ran a valiant race, with her candidacy marking the re-emergence of Kenya at the very heart of the pan-African project.
"Kenya is grateful for the strong campaign she ran, which put pan-African themes — of self-reliance, of sovereignty, of openness to trade — at its very heart. We thank her for her strong showing,'' said Esipisu, after Amina's defeat.