Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and William Ruto of Kenya during a bilateral meeting in May 2024 that eased tensions between the two countries. Photo: Handout

On Friday, Kenya lost its bid to host the African Union Humanitarian Agency to Uganda in an election held in Accra, Ghana, during the 45th session of the Executive Council.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Sixth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union, which includes the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the Regional Mechanisms (RMs), and the African Union member states.

According to a circular released by the Ugandan Embassy in Addis Ababa, the bid evaluation results indicated that Kenya scored 76.14 percent, while Uganda came first with 86.66 percent, and Nigeria at 74.50 percent.

Equatorial Guinea came second with 76.70 percent, surpassing Nairobi’s suitability.

The report tabled by the continental body was adopted without contestation.

The decision to establish a Humanitarian Agency was ratified at the 11th AU Humanitarian Symposium in Nairobi, Kenya, in November 2023, as part of the African Union’s commitment to bolster its Humanitarian Architecture.

This loss comes weeks after Nairobi lost its second bid to host a UN Climate Fund hub.

Nairobi has in the past been accused by African countries of having a high appetite for these bids.