The African Union (AU) has come under heavy criticism after its Chairperson, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, congratulated Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan on her re-election, while simultaneously expressing regret over the deaths that followed post-election protests.
In a statement released on Friday, Youssouf—who also serves as Djibouti’s Foreign Affairs Minister—acknowledged the violence that erupted after the polls, calling for calm and respect for constitutional rights.
“The Chairperson deeply regrets the loss of human life during the post-electoral protests and extends his sincere condolences to the families of the victims,” read part of the AU statement.
“He underscores the importance of upholding fundamental rights and freedoms, including the right to peaceful assembly and expression.”
However, many on social media, especially Kenyans, were outraged that the AU congratulated Suluhu while mourning victims of election-related violence. Critics accused the continental body of hypocrisy and complicity in protecting authoritarian regimes.
One user wrote, “The AU really out here sending condolences and congratulations in the same paragraph, like a eulogy signed by the murderer.” Another added, “You can’t claim to mourn victims while celebrating those responsible for their suffering.”
The backlash also reignited debate around the February 2025 AU Commission election, where Kenya’s Raila Odinga lost to Youssouf. Many Kenyans now argue that Odinga’s leadership might have inspired more accountability within the AU.
President Suluhu has been accused by opposition leaders of manipulating the election process, including the arrest of CHADEMA leader Tundu Lissu and the disqualification of ACT-Wazalendo’s Luhaga Mpina. She reportedly secured 98 per cent of the vote, a figure opposition parties and observers have dismissed as implausible.
For many Africans online, the AU’s statement symbolized what they see as a pattern of silence and complicity from regional bodies in the face of growing electoral authoritarianism across the continent.
